


I'll See You On The Other Side

by bikai



Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Dinosaurs, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Graphic, Hamburr, Jurassic Park - Freeform, Jurassic World, M/M, Sexual Tension, depictions of violence, hamilburr, philip and theo are best buds, we just gotta get through a lot of death first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-10-18 17:37:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 44,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10621818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bikai/pseuds/bikai
Summary: Jurassic World wasmuchsafer than Jurassic Park, to say the least.  They had some of the best genetic and structural engineers in the world, and they'd taken every single precaution the original owners hadn't.  They’d learned from their past mistakes and used them to develop their technology, to make a safe and secure environment.But the public would never be satisfied.And so came the Indominus Rex.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> OMGOMG GUYS ITS HERE IM PUMPED ARE YOU CAUSE I AM
> 
> also i don't know how to write dinos so if descriptions of dinos are bad please do not yell at me i am but a simple farmer

Jurassic Park had been a disaster. 

Some theorized it was because of human negligence and simply being unprepared. Others believed it was solely a huge hoax designed to bring in money or stir up feelings of anxiety for the impending 'apocalypse'. Others theorized that it was God's way of saying that what is extinct should stay extinct. Regardless of what it was, people lost their lives and it was a catastrophe.

Esther and Aaron Burr Sr. had hired a team of genetic scientists to clarify that the park would be safe for the public, and that's where everything started to go downhill. Long story short, someone from the inside had cut the power to the security system, leading to the escape of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and the eventual downfall of the entire park. 

Twenty-two years later, and Jurassic World was a successful resort on the Central American island of Isla Nubar. The resort had been operating successfully under the Edwards Global Corporation - owner of the genetics company that originally created the dinosaur clones - for ten solid years. 

Though it was Aaron Burr, the son of the original owners and the resort’s operations manager, who spent all his time running the park and dealt with things like customer satisfaction rates and big decisions. Aaron's parents had begged him on their _deathbed_ for him to reopen the park, to make it safer and better than their original attempt. So really, what choice did he have but to do it?

Jurassic World was _much_ safer than Jurassic Park, to say the least. They had some of the best genetic and structural engineers in the world, and they'd taken every single precaution the original owners hadn't. They’d learned from their past mistakes and used them to develop their technology, to make a safe and secure environment. 

But the public would never be satisfied.

And so came the Indominus Rex. 

The day started like any other. Aaron was currently going over his stress relieving breathing routines as he stood by his lonesome in the elevator, descending slowly down into the genetics lab. He had a big sponsoring meeting today with three major candidates, and if he didn't close this meeting, he'd be losing a great deal of money. The pressure was on with this one.

He looked down at his watch and swore once he realized he was three minutes late. Shit. The doors opened into the lab, as Aaron recalled the lines he had been rehearsing non-stop in his head for the past twenty-four hours.

“Welcome to Jurassic World.”

 

Being a raptor trainer wasn't easy. You had to have extreme patience, be quick on your feet, know everything there was to know about Velociraptors. When Alexander Hamilton put his mind to something, he was never someone to do it in a halfhearted manner. He worked hard to get here, and he was proud of that. First he'd worked as an intern writing reports on archaeological digs, then, he'd quit work to fight in the Army, and when he'd come back, the Edwards Global Corporation had read his reports and wanted him to come work for them at Jurassic World. Through all that, he'd gotten married, lost his wife, and raised his son, Philip, by himself. 

He and his son had gone through hell, and everyday Alexander worried he'd never be a good father. He'd never had a father of his own, so he had to figure it out on his own and hope for the best. It had been even harder when Eliza passed, but he and Philip had gotten through it together and grown stronger. He'd made his own family, not just with his son, but with his raptors. 

“How fast can they run again?”

“Usually forty miles per hour, fifty when they're hungry.”

“Have you ever thought of using them for transportation?”

“I'm not sure it would be a good idea to try and ride them, Philip.” Alexander laughed fondly at his son's overactive imagination. 

“I'm just saying it would be cool, is all.” Philip sighed and placed his chin on the steel gate restricting him and his father. Alexander turned from his place on the balcony overlooking the raptor enclosure.

“What do you say kid, you wanna help feed the pack today?”

“Really!” Philip immediately perked up and grinned, and Alexander nodded. “Oh my gosh, yes!” Philip squealed and jumped up and down as his father walked over to open the gate. 

“Promise to be safe?” Alexander asked before he opened the gate, and Philip nodded frantically. Alexander grinned, glad his son shared the same love for the raptors as he did. Philip pushed past him and onto the narrow balcony as the panicked squeals of the piglet rang out of the warm, early summer air. The piglet came sprinting and squealing into the enclosure, followed by four hungry looking raptors. Alexanders hand immediately flew to his clicker as he held up a hand and whistled.

“Woah! Hey!” 

The raptors skidded to a stop and halted in the middle of the enclosure, beneath Alexander's part of the balcony. 

“Eyes on me!” He called, particularly watching one of the raptors who wasn't following his orders. He clicked the clicker a few times to get its attention. “Blue, Blue!” The raptor, Blue, looked up and cocked her scaly head. Alexander pointed at her meaningly. “Watch it.”

Another raptor dropped into a crouch and hissed, its tail swishing, and Alexander turned on it quickly. 

“Hey, Charlie! Come on now don't do this again.”

Philip’s eyes flicked between the raptors and his father, unsure of which to focus on. 

“Philip, could you get the feeding bucket for me?” 

Philip nodded and ran off to fetch the bucket. Alexander kept his hand raised in the air, occasionally calling out commands to the raptors as Philip came running back with the bucket in hand. He kept his hand raised even when Philip threw the food down to the raptors, calling out their names as he went. 

“Eyes up!” Alexander waved his hand to get their attention again when Philip had finished feeding them. “Hold it...and go!” Alexander dropped his hand and Philip watched in awe as the raptors immediately sped off into the enclosure. He turned to his son and gave him a high five.

“Nice job, sport.”

There was a loud booming laugh, and Alexander turned and looked up into the grinning face of Hercules Mulligan, one of his best friends and fellow raptor trainers. 

“I swear you and those raptors get closer and closer everyday, Alex.” He laughed again and clapped Alex on the back, making him stumble. He ruffled Philip’s curls affectionately, earning a laugh from the boy.

“What about you, little man? You wanna be a raptor trainer like your old man someday?”

“Totally! I’m gonna be a great trainer, just like you pops!”

Alexander grinned with pride, but the moment was cut short when an all too familiar voice called his name. 

“Hamilton!”

Alexander and Hercules turned simultaneously and scowled when they say Charles Lee approaching them, an obnoxious grin on his face. 

“What does he want now?” Alexander sighed, even though he knew damn well what Lee wanted. 

“I thought I hired the wrong the wrong guys for this, but damn, you practically got them eating out of your hands.” 

“You're lucky, you came on a good day. They aren't normally that obedient. What do you need, Lee?” 

“What I need, is a field test.” Lee sighed after a moment. Alexander turned around and walked away, beckoning to Philip that they were leaving. 

“What I just saw proves that they can take orders, Hamilton.” Lee called and jogged to catch up with him, grabbing Alexander's arm. Alex yanked his arm out of Lee's grip and sent him a glare, and Lee backed off. “You need to take advantage of their obedience and start training them for when a war breaks out.”

“ _If_ a war breaks out. Besides, they’re wild carnivores, Lee, you don't want them in warfare.”

“ _When_ a war breaks out. It's human nature to fight Hamilton, a war _will_ break out and we need to be prepared. With these animals on our side, we’ll be invincible.” Lee stepped in front of Alexander, forcing him to come to a stop. 

“You're in my way.”

“Look. Nature gave us the most effective predators 75 million years ago, and today, we can program them to take orders.” 

“That's what you want to do with them?” Hercules asked, picking up a sack of gravel for the paddock and hefting it over his shoulder like it was nothing. “Make them into weapons?”

“Some people say robots are the future. But what they don't realize is when a real war breaks out, all that tech won't mean a thing. Technology is a thing of the past now, anyone can use it and anyone can hack it.”

“Yeah but that technology won't _eat them_ if they forgot to feed it.” Hamilton crossed his arms and went to stand by the balcony, away from Lee. 

“These animals have millions of years of instinct in them, Hamilton. Their loyalty cannot be bought. They are going to literally eat up the enemy. We won't have to feed them if they're always fighting, you know what I mean?” Lee came to stand next to Alexander, leaning his entire weight on the railing. Alexander hated the way Lee talked about death as if it was nothing, especially in front of his son.

“What if they decide they want to be in control?” Hercules looked at Lee, waiting for an answer. Lee sputtered for a moment, then shrugged casually. 

“Well, then we remind them of their place, terminate the rebels.” 

Hercules snorted, then laughed and walked away, shaking his head. Alexander let out a low whistle and rolled his eyes dramatically at Philip, making him laugh as well. 

“What? What’s wrong with that?”

Alexander looked at Lee a long time before responding. “I don't know, Lee, it's just you come out here and only listen to what you want to hear.” Alexander sighed, turning back to watch two raptors tussling in the dirt. “They're wild animals. You guys might have made them but you don't own them.”

“We do own them.”

“No you don't.” Philip turned and looked up at him, and Lee looked down at him in a way that made Alexander want to punch him.

“Kid, extinct animals have no rights.”

“They're not extinct anymore, Lee.” Alexander hissed before walking away again, taking an empty feed bucket from one of the other workers before descending the steel staircase at the end of the aisle. 

“Exactly,” Lee followed him down, making Alexander sigh audibly. He should have known Lee was not going to give up on this so easily. “We are sitting on a gold mine here, and Edwards is using it as a petting zoo.” 

“He's just trying to teach people about how small we really are, he's not interested in making weapons, for the love of Christ.” 

“You really think that one of the richest men in the world is really only into oil and amusement parks? He’s so delusional he doesn't even realize what he really owns.”

Alexander opened the gate into the paddock, motioning for Philip to stay out there where it was safer, and closing the gate before Lee could get in. Lee placed his hands on the metal bars, glaring at Alexander. “These raptors could replace thousands of troops on the ground. You were in the navy, Hamilton, how many lives do you think that would save?”

Alexander ignored him. Lee knew _nothing_ about war, about death. 

“War is a part of nature. Look around you, Hamilton. You and I, we’re lucky to be alive at the same time as these animals. With them, we’ll bring the revolution this world needs so desperately.”

“Do you hear yourself when you speak?” Alexander wiped his hands on a pocket hankie as he approached Lee and stared him down. Lee didn't flinch.

“This is happening. With or without you.” Lee stepped away from the gate and smirked at him. “Progress always wins, Hamilton. You of all people should know that.” 

Alexander was about to respond when the loud squealing of a pig cut through the air, and someone somewhere shouted ‘pig loose!’. He turned and spotted the pig racing around the paddock. One of the new guys grabbed a catch pole and ran out onto the balcony to catch the pig. Without warning a raptor dived in to grab the pig in its jaws, pulling the pole and the intern gripping it off the balcony and sending him falling into the paddock. A spark of alarm ran down Alexander's spine as he was prompted into action by the way the three other raptors turned without hesitation on their new prey. 

He only faltered a second before rushing to smack the buzzer and open the interior gate. The new kid couldn't have been older than sixteen, he was just a kid, why the _fuck_ did they hire kids here? Two rangers ran out onto the balcony and loaded up their weapons as the raptors stalked upon the helpless teenager, snarling, communicating with each other, deciding when to go in for the kill. As soon as there was enough room, Alexander dropped to his belly and wriggled under the gate and into the paddock. 

“Dad, _no!_ ” Philip screamed and it broke Alexander's heart, but he could _not_ let them kill his raptors. 

“Hold your fire! Do not fire!” Alexander jumped to his feet and ran out in front of the teenager, who had been scrambling backwards, away from the raptors. Alexander put his hands up in front of the closest raptors, glancing up at the rangers to make sure they weren't going to shoot. “You pump these animals full of lead and they'll never trust me again.” 

There was the sound of a buzzer and Alex looked back briefly to see Hercules pressing the button to stop the gate from moving. Philip ducked into the cage and tried to run to his father but Hercules grabbed him in his arms and pulled him back. The quick, blood curdling call of the raptor caught his attention and he turned back to them. 

“Hey. Stand down, Blue.” His voice was harsh and full of authority, and he wished he felt as in control as he sounded. Blue lashed out at him, flexing her talons and narrowing her yellow reptilian eyes. He put a hand up in front of her snout, daring her to come closer. He was the alpha, and dear God, he was going to show it. Even if it got him killed.

That was a slightly jarring thought.

“What did I just say?” He demanded, and with every step the three raptors took, he took another backward. They were closing him in on all sides, but luckily they were leaving his back open and simultaneously pushing him to the gate, to safety. 

The new intern had already retreated into the cage with Hercules and Philip, out of harm's way. The raptor to his left hissed and flicked his tail, his mouth dropping open to reveal lethal, bloodstained fangs. 

“Delta, I see you. Back up!”

Delta snarled, but still backed up slightly. They knew where they stood in the pack, and Alex felt some of his authority and confidence strengthen.

“Okay, good. Good, Herc, close the gate.” Alexander ordered without looking over his shoulder. 

“Are you insane?” Herc responded, shocked, with Philip still in his arms.

“Close the gate!” He heard the intern yell, and Alex resisted the urge to roll his eyes. 

_‘You're welcome for saving your life you little prick.’_

“Trust me, dammit!” Alexander yelled, glancing back this time to make sure Herc followed his orders, still backing towards the gate and keeping his hands up. He thought he heard Herc swear, but then there was the sound of a buzzer and the gate was closing again. Philip started to say something but it got muffled, probably by Herc’s hand. Alexander saw his chance to escape when the three raptors started to stand down slightly, and he could almost feel the gate against his back. 

He took a deep breath to try to steady his breathing and before his courage would fail him, he made a mad dive for the closing gate, cursing inwardly when the raptors followed almost instantly. As he hit the ground he tucked his head and rolled under the gate, feeling the steel scrape his back as he came up in a sitting position. The raptors slammed into the closed gate, centimeters away from Alexander's head, making him flinch and grit his teeth. They snarled and shook their heads, backing away as Alexander let out a long sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. His heart thumped in his chest, and he swallowed thickly, letting his head fall back to meet the gate, feeling the tension start to ease away.

Hercules released his hold on Philip and he ran into his father's arms with a sob. Alexander held him close as the realization of what he had just done to his son. He'd made a promise on the day Philip was born that he'd always be around for him, something that Alexander’s own father had never done. By running into that cage, he'd endangered himself and could've made Philip an orphan. 

“Hey now, shh, no more tears.” Alexander pulled back to look at him, wiping away his tears with his thumb. “You didn't think I'd actually leave you, did you?”

Philip shook his head and offered a shaky smile up at his father. Alexander kissed the top of his head and hugged him again. “I'm never going to leave you Philip, I promise.” Philip nodded again, and took a deep, shaky breath. 

“Alex, you are one crazy son of a bitch.” Hercules laughed and shook his head, his smile tinted with sympathy. Alexander spotted Lee staring at him with a cocky grin on his face and knew exactly what he was thinking. He moved Philip off of him gently whilst throwing Lee a glare. As he stood he turned his gaze on the new intern, and looked him up and down. He was scrawny and lanky, and his chest was heaving from shock.

“You're the new guy right?”

He nodded. Alexander smirked.

“You ever wonder why there was an opening?” He teased grimly, fighting back a laugh when the blood drained from the kid's face. The last guy actually hadn't been eaten by raptors, the park would have been shut down, he just wanted to scare him into being more cautious. So far, no one at Jurassic World had lost their lives.

Little did they know that was all about to change


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ayo who's up for some sexual tension??  
> Here we go friends

“What's the live count?” Aaron asked, rubbing a thumb up and down the cup of coffee in his hand nervously. They were standing in the control room after the sponsoring meeting, and Aaron was going through the daily checkups concerning the parks stability.

“Twenty-two thousand, two-hundred sixteen.” Peggy Schuyler, one of the technicians and one of Aaron's closest friends, informed him, smiling up at him reassuringly. 

“Any accidents?” Aaron took a sip of his coffee, trying to get his nerves to settle. 

“Yeah,” John Laurens, another technician and Peggy’s soon-to-be husband, turned around in his chair, “some kids in the lost and found, ‘bout thirty down with heat stroke, and a couple-”

“What,” Aaron cut him off, staring at Johns shirt, “are you wearing?”

John looked down at his shirt donning the original Jurassic Park logo. He looked back up at him, grinning.

“Oh, this? I got it on eBay, amazing isn't it?” He was gushing now. “I got this one for 150, but the mint condition goes for 300, even though I'd say it was-”

“Didn't it occur to you that it might be a little inconsiderate?” Aaron frowned down at him. John’s smile dropped.

“Th-the shirt? No, yeah I get it, it was terrible. People died, I know, but-” John smiled again, and Aaron rolled his eyes. “Your parents’ park was _legit_ , Aaron. I have so much respect for it, y’know, they didn't need all these genetically modified dinosaurs. They just needed dinosaurs, real dinosaurs! That was enough back then, people-”

“Just don't wear it again, John.” Aaron cut him off again firmly, and John sighed, turning back around in his seat.

“Yeah, wasn't gonna.”

“So, did you close the deal?” Peggy grinned, changing the subject. Aaron smiled to himself and nodded.

“You bet. Verizon wireless presents the Indominus Rex, only at Jurassic World.”

“Your parents would be proud.” Peggy gave him a little thumbs up, and Aaron grinned thankfully at her.

_‘I hope so.’_

“Oh my _god_ , that name.” John exhaled loudly and pressed his forehead to the desk. “Seriously, dude, why not just let the companies name them?”

Aaron ignored him and noticed something up on the screen.

“Why are the West Plains closed down?”

“Another Pachycephalosaurus found roaming outside his zone.” Peggy explained, following Aaron's gaze on the screen where a crew of workers were loading a sedated Pachy onto a vet vehicle. 

“Pepsisaurus. Tostitodon. Twixeratops.” John muttered, still on his earlier tangent.

“What the hell.” Aaron sighed, he'd have to call security _again_. “Security specifically told me that fence was non-fail. That's the second time this month.” 

“Well, the implants short out when the Pachys butt heads, Aaron.” 

“How long before they get it out of there?”

Peggy and John shared a surprised glance.

“Aaron, he just got pumped full of carfentanil.” 

“Yeah, he's _very_ stoned, dude. Can we show a little sympathy.” John smirked at him, and Aaron rolled his eyes. “You understand these are animals, right?”

“I am fully aware they are animals, John. But public safety is a major concern, and we can't just have a wild dinosaur roaming about outside of its zone, it-”

“What about a dinosaur roaming out of its zone?”

The three of them turned, and Aaron pursed his lips when he saw his uncle entering the control room whilst straightening out his suit. He regarded Peggy and John with a curt nod and came to stand next to Aaron. 

“Nothing of your concern, we've taken care of it. What are you doing here?” Aaron tried to act casual about the last part, but failed miserably and it came out awkwardly aggressive. His uncle looked him up and down and raised an eyebrow. Aaron hated the way he always looked at him like he was a disgrace.

“I wanted to know how my park is going.”

“It's going great.” Aaron smiled stiffly. “We’re up by two and a half percent, which although is lower than our initial projections, is-”

“And the guests?”

“Satisfaction is good, low nineties.”

“And what about my new dinosaur? I was told one of the workers nearly lost an arm…” His uncle trailed off and regarded him with a disapproving look. Aaron exhaled slowly. Oh boy. 

“The Indominus is doing well. And yes, we hit a few... _bumps_ early on.”

“And you're still building?” His uncle pointed at the security footage of the crews working on Paddock 11. Aaron nodded.

“We planned to open early summer, but Asset Containment demanded the walls be built higher. It's...bigger than we expected.”

His uncle nodded approvingly, his eyes never leaving the screen. “Good. The paddock will be safe then?” It was Aaron's turn to give him a look.

“Of course. We have the best structural engineers in the world.”

His uncle turned his eyes on him for a moment.

“So did your parents.” He said darkly. Aaron turned and stared at him, but didn't respond. After a tense moment, his uncle removed his gaze and looked over the control room.

“There is an American Navy man here. He's part of a raptor research program one of my companies is overseeing. Alexander Hamilton.”

Aaron cleared his throat, fighting back the urge to swear. 

“I know of him.” He said curtly, hoping his shock wasn't showing on his face. 

“His raptors often attempt to escape. They're smart, and he has to be smarter.”

Aaron snorted uncontrollably, and his uncle glanced at him.

“He likes to think he's smarter.”

If his uncle noticed his tone, he didn't say anything, and he let his comment slide by with pushing it further.

“I want you to bring him to the paddock for inspection. Maybe he can see something we can't.”

“Fine.” Aaron bit out after a second of hesitation. He truthfully didn't want to see Alexander again, but he had to do things he didn't like all the time.

“And loosen up.” His uncle slapped him none too gently on the back. “You're not representing my park without a smile.”

Aaron forced out a smile, but it probably came out as a grimace. His uncle turned and left, and as soon as he was out of the room, Aaron dropped his smile.

“You could at least _pretend_ you like Alex.” John laughed at him, twirling a pen between his fingers. Aaron ignored him and inhaled deeply, taking a sip of the now cold coffee in his hands. 

“Get that Pachy out of there, and those West Plains open as soon as possible.” He told them both curtly, not waiting for an answer before turning on his heel and exiting the control room. 

 

Aaron pulled up to Alexander's seaside bungalow in his Mercedes, hating every second he had to spend there. He spotted the raptor trainer bent over a motorcycle, and he looked up when Aaron parked his car. Aaron hated the fact that his face still sent his heart into a dizzying spin. Their first date hadn't gone well, but blind dates often didn't go well in the first place. John had set them up after Aaron drunkenly complaining about not having anyone to spend his nights with. 

Aaron inhaled deeply before getting out of his car and approaching him. Alexander looked up as he approached and quirked an eyebrow before reaching out and grabbing his cola and taking a long swig.

“Mr Hamilton, I need you to come and take a look at something.”

Aaron watched as Alexander lowered his drink and swiped his tongue over his lips, the sun glistening on the sweat beading on his forehead. _Fuck_. He stared up at him for a beat longer before narrowing his eyes.

“Why are you calling me _Mr Hamilton_?”

“Alexander.” Aaron corrected himself after a second, averting his gaze and looking off to the side. “We have an attraction-”

“That's not what you said the last time I saw you.” Alexander laughed and stood up, taking another drink of cola. 

“For the love of God, I'm talking about the dinosaurs, Mr Hamilton-”

“ _Alexander._ ” He interrupted, now only a couple feet from Aaron.

“A new species we’ve made.” Aaron continued, refusing to let the way Alexander was affecting him show. 

“You just went and _made_ a new species?” Alexander snorted, turning around quickly to throw a hand wrench down onto a table. 

“Yeah, you know, it's kind of what we do here.” Aaron replied, folding his arms and mocking Alexander's tone. “We open to the public in a few weeks, but Mr Edwards-...my uncle,” Aaron corrected himself when Alex threw a glance over his shoulder at him, “wanted me to confer with you about the paddocks safety, God knows why.”

“Ah.” Alexander nodded and turned back around to face him. “So, you wanna confer out here, or in my bungalow?” Alexander smirked, looking Aaron up and down. Aaron ignored the heat flaring under his skin and shook his head.

“That's not funny.”  
“Maybe, it wasn't a joke.” Alexander turned around again, and this time he ran up the stairs into the bungalow. Aaron shook his head at himself. Alexander was joking, he had to be

“Mr Edwards wants you to evaluate the paddock for vulnerabilities, things we can't see.”

“Why me!” Alexander yelled from out of Aaron's line of sight, and Aaron found he was thinking the same thing. 

“I guess he thinks that because you can control the raptors you-”

“God, why is it all about control with you?” Alexander came back out of the house and leaned over the railing on the porch, and Aaron found his feet carrying him over to wear Alexander was standing so that he was above him and looking down at him. “I don't control the raptors, it's called a relationship. It's based on trust, and mutual _respect_.” Alexander leaned forward slightly, so that their noses were almost touching. Aaron held his gaze, choosing once again, to ignore the way Alexander's eyes were seemingly taking in every detail of his face and the way it made his heart skip a beat. 

“That's why you and I never had a second date.”

Aaron’s mouth dropped open, and he scoffed as Alexander moved away and down the stairs, back to his motorcycle. He was hoping they could have a mature conversation, but no such luck.

“Ex _cuse_ me, I never _wanted_ a second date.”

“You refused to do shots with me!” Alexander looked over his shoulder at him. “Who does that?”

“Everyone should, actually. I was not about to get wasted with a guy I'd just met. And what kind of person picks political sciences as a dinner topic?”

“What kind of person doesn't?”

“Everyone knows you don't talk about politics on the first date, Alexander, it's a universal law. And it's not just-” Aaron cut himself off and held up a hand. “I can't believe I’m having this conversation with you, this is so immature. I'll be in the car.”

“Why do you always have to act like you have a stick up your ass?” Alexander got up once more, striding over to Aaron with a teasing look in his eyes. He stopped in front of him, much closer this time and smirked confidently up at him. “Maybe you should try putting something else up your-”

“Do not finish that sentence.” Aaron interrupted quickly, making Alex laugh softly. “I could fire you, you know.” 

“Please. You wouldn't dare, sweets.” 

“Try me.” Aaron whispered, narrowing his eyes. Alexander smirked and leaned in close. Aaron panicked, thinking Alexander was going to kiss him, and turned around quickly to walk back to his car. He felt Alexander's eyes on him the entire way, struggling to ignore the way it made his face heat up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of action babes  
> Next chapter will be more exciting I promise


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So track started and my entire being hurts ha l p  
> And also I started reading Stephen King's It and it is so good I'm gonna cry

“We’re already booking tickets, but before we can open it to the public we have to make sure the paddock is as safe as possible.” Aaron put the Mercedes in park as they arrived at Paddock 11, unbuckling his seatbelt and motioning for Alexander to get out as well. “The park needs a new attraction every few years, you know, to update the wow factor.”

“They're dinosaurs,” Alexander snorted as they walked up to the paddock, ‘wow’ enough.”

“Not anymore.” Aaron looked over his shoulder at him. If he was being honest, he agreed with Alexander, it was insane that no one was impressed with dinosaurs anymore. They wanted bigger, scarier, more teeth. “No one’s impressed with a T-Rex or a Triceratops anymore. Ten years ago, sure, cloning dinosaurs was just as amazing as magic. But nowadays, these kids look at a stegosaurus like an elephant in the city zoo. The Indominus Rex makes us relevant again.”

Aaron heard Alexander laughing behind him, and he turned at the top of the stairs.

“The _Indominus_ Rex!” Alexander laughed again, bending in on himself and placing a hand on his knees. Aaron rolled his eyes. “What the hell kind of name is that?”

“We needed something intimidating yet easy to pronounce. You should hear a three year old try to say Archaeornithomimus.”

“You should hear you try to say it.”

Aaron ignored him and continued mounting the stairs up into the Paddock, and fortunately, Alexander followed, still laughing under his breath. A security guard was sitting at a desk, with multiple computer screens, and watching something on his phone. Aaron made a mental note to have a talk with him about the proper times for lazing about.

“So, what's this GMO Dino made of?”

“The main genome is a T-Rex, and the rest is classified.”

“You made a dinosaur, but you don't even know what it is?” Alexander looked up at him, his hands on his hips as he stood at the floor to ceiling length window of the paddock.

“I put full trust in my scientists at the lab, they know what I need and I expect them to deliver.”

“How long has it been in here?”

“All it's life.”

“This thing has never seen anything outside its Paddock? No other animals, or at least a littermate?”

“We can't exactly walk it, Hamilton.” Aaron sent him a look before continuing hesitantly. “And, yes, it did have a sibling.” 

“ _Did_? Where is it?” Alexander asked, noticing the tone of his voice.

“She ate it.” Aaron breathed out matter of factly, giving Alex a halfhearted smile. Alexander stared at him.

“She _ate_ her sibling?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow when Aaron nodded. “Okay, so no interaction with anyone else?”

“What, you think we should organize playdates for it?” Aaron didn't turn to see his reaction, and instead turned to the security guard. Where the hell was the damn dinosaur? “Can we drop a steer please?”

The security guard nodded and pressed a button. There was a mechanical whirring sound as a metal crane lowered down a huge hank of raw meat into the cage. Alex stared at it, his eyes narrowing. 

“Where the hell is it?” He murmured. Aaron's eyes searched the Paddock, trying to detect any movement in the bushes or the glint of yellow eyes. He tapped the glass impatiently, knowing it wasn't going to do anything.

“And you feed her with that?” Alex pointed at the crane accusingly and turned to Aaron. Aaron turned on him and sighed in frustration.

“Is there a problem with that?”

“Animals raised in captivity aren't always the most functional. This thing ate her sibling and her only relationship is with that machine. At least she knows it means food.” Alexander's eyes searched the Paddock before turning back to Aaron, but his eyes fell on something behind him. “How'd that get there?”

Aaron followed his gaze and swallowed noticeably when his eyes landed on the spider web cracks in the glass. 

“It tried to break the glass.”

“She's intelligent.”

“For a dinosaur, yes.”

Alex folded his arms and turned back to the window, staring out into the dense foliage, his brown eyes scanning for any signs of life. “Does she usually come when food is dropped?”

Aaron looked back out into the foliage with a huff. “Yes. I don't know where it is, I was just here an hour ago, it was just here.” Aaron turned to the control panel and typed something in, before hitting enter. He turned to look at the results on the multiple screens and that's when it happened. There was an alarming buzzer like noise on the first screen as a big red symbol popped up, then on the second, then the third, until it was on all of the screens. Aaron's heart dropped.

_No thermal signs detected._

“Oh shit.” The guard mumbled, sitting up straight. “I-I swear I was here the whole time, I don't…”

Aaron didn't hear him. His head was spinning. That could not be possible.

“That's...no-....that's not…” Aaron shook his head, the alarm on the screens staring back at him with a stark red sinister glare.

“Has…that always been there?” Alex called from the other end of the room. Aaron turned a little too quickly, swaying on his feet. He walked over quickly to Alex's side, his eyes widening in horror. Long scratch marks decorated the cement wall, cutting deep into the gray brick, stretching from the ground up to the top, indicating something had gotten out. 

“You don't think it…”

_“One of the workers nearly lost an arm.”_

_“She ate the sibling?”_

_“Animals raised in captivity aren't always the most functional.”_

_“We have the best structural engineers in the_  
world.”  
**“So did your parents.”**

“Oh god…” Aaron sobbed out, his hand coming up to cover his mouth.

_‘Theodosia.’_

“It has an implant in it’s back, I can track it from the control room.” Aaron pulled himself together quickly, pulling his emotions back into the shell he'd formed around himself. He ran out of the room, racing down the metal stairs two at a time and jumping into the car.

Their biggest and most lethal asset had just escaped and was roaming around freely in a park full of innocent citizens.

Aaron's daughter was in that park.

And time was a luxury they couldn't afford. 

 

Aaron switched his headset on and called up the control room, thanking god when John answered almost immediately. 

“We have an asset out of containment. Put ACU on alert, this is not a drill!” Aaron had to keep himself from yelling into the headset the words he thought he'd never have to say. Good god, this was all slipping through his fingers and he couldn't stop it.

“What's going on?” That was the voice of Aaron's uncle, and Aaron bit his lower lip. Oh no, this was not going to go over well with him. 

“Aaron, what-”

“John, I need the coordinates on the Indominus, now.”

“What, why-”

“Dammit, John! Give me the coordinates, now! Please.” Aaron added the last part after inhaling deep through his nose. 

John stuttered for a moment, surprised by the panic in his voice, before typing something quickly into his keyboard. Peggy looked over at him worriedly, she too had Aaron's voice ringing through the headset. The red pulsing dot that symbolized the Indominus’ place blinked back at the two of them, and John furrowed his brow in confusion.

“What the hell? It's in the paddock!”

Aaron sputtered. “That can't be possible, I was just there!”

“Aaron, dude, I'm telling you, it's in the cage!” John squinted closer at one of the security cameras. “Hold on…” his eyes widened in realization, “Aaron, you have guys in there!”

Aaron almost slammed on the brakes. This couldn't be happening, this all had to be a nightmare. Alexander wouldn't have gone into the paddock, not with all the knowledge of the Indominus and what it was capable of. But then again, he thought the Indominus had escaped.

He thought he was safe.

“John, get them out. Now!”

 

Alex ran his hands gingerly over the long scratch marks in the wall. He looked up and thought over how a huge ass dinosaur could get out of a 40 foot wall.

“How the hell could it escape without me hearing it?” The security guard scratched at his bald spot, and stared up at the scratch marks. They were standing in the paddock along with one of the construction workers who let them in. 

“Depends.” Alex muttered vaguely, stepping back to crane his neck toward the scratch at the very top.

“On what?” The construction worker asked. 

“On what kind of monster they cooked up in that lab.”

Alexander hoped Philip was safe. If that thing was out there, everyone in the park was a dead person walking. The thing that scared him was that they didn't know anything about the Indominus. If they knew what it was made of other than a T-Rex, they might be able to know how fast it could go or what kind of threat it imposed to the public. Whatever it was, it was out of containment, and they needed to get it back quickly. 

Suddenly, static came over the guards radio and Alex ignored it at first, but then he thought he could make out Peggy's voice from the static. She sounded panicked, and it sent a spark of alarm down Alex's spine. Something was wrong. The security guards face formed a mask of confusion as he pressed a button on the radio and spoke into it.

“Could you repeat that, we couldn't hear you, over.”

Peggy's voice came through again, clearer now, at the same time there was the sound of snapping trees further back in the paddock.

“It's in the paddock, it’s in there with you!” 

Alex turned and only hesitated a second, shock and fear coursing through him, before taking off to the other end of the paddock towards the door they had entered through. The construction worker was right beside him, holding on to his hat to keep it from falling, but they hadn't even gotten halfway across when a gigantic, white scaled, clawed foot thumped down in the middle of their path, shaking the ground. 

Alex stared at it for a millisecond, not even bothering to look up before he turned and sprinted in the opposite direction. Time seemed to slow down, and it was like Alexander was moving through water. His lungs burned and adrenaline mixed with fear was thrumming through his veins, his legs were aching but he willed them to keep moving, to keep slamming down against the wood chips. 

The worker wasn't by his side anymore. He didn't need to look back to know what had happened. The thumping of huge feet mingled with a sickening _crunch_ and the workers horrible screams, left enough to Alex’s imagination to make him cry. The guard had managed to get the big mechanical door open, and now was trying to squeeze through the gap. He squeezed through and disappeared on the other side, and the door continued to open. Alex was caught between fearing for his own life or the other lives outside the paddock. 

The thumping of the Indominus’ feet was so loud in his ears that it shook him to the bone, and he could feel it coming closer with each step. 

 

The video feed on the screen in the control room had a blinking red symbol on it reading Security Breach. Peggy's hands were over her mouth, and tears were falling from her eyes. 

“Close the door!” Edwards stared at the screen in shock.

“We can't lock him in there with that thing!” John yelled, fear for Alex's life coursing through his veins. 

“Come on, close it, dammit!” Edwards took matters into his own hands and leaned over and slammed the button himself.

“Someone tell me what's happening!” Aaron's panicked voice shouted over the headset.

 

The door wasn't even halfway open when it started to close again, Alex’s gateway to freedom slowly fading away. He willed his legs to move faster, his lungs struggling to suck in air as his heart pounded against his ribcage, threatening to break out of his chest. He reached the door as it was only a few feet or so away from closing, turning sideways so he could fit through, his heart almost stopping in his chest when he felt the cold metal compress against him. He managed to squirm his way out and get a good ways away - but not before there was the horrible screech of claws on metal mingling with an ear splitting roar as Indominus wedged its body between the door and the wall, prying it open with a blood curdling metallic cry. The protesting screech of metal stopped with an abrupt whirring sound, and there was a loud crash as chunks of debris fell to the ground.

The Indominus Rex had escaped.

Alex didn't dare stop running until he dropped onto his side, the momentum propelling him under a nearby construction vehicle. His chest was heaving, sweat was pouring down his brow, and his heart was racing with fear, but he allowed himself to relax just slightly. The screeching of metal had stopped, and Alex tilted his head back to chance a peek at the dinosaur. All he could see were two huge feet, almost as big as the car he was hiding under. Indominus moved slowly over to another car, Alex catching glimpses of her long, scaled tail flicking menacingly over the ground. Something by the other car caught his eye, and Alex did the classic double take as his eyes landed on the security guard. He was huddled in on himself at the end of the car, fully exposed, but so far out of Indominus’ line of sight. Alex watched, unable to tear his eyes away as she stomped over to one side of the car and the guard dared to peer around the corner. 

Silence.

Nothing moved.

Without warning, the other truck was thrown high into the air, creating an arch before landing with a crash somewhere on Alex's other side. Alex watched with bated breath as the guard slowly tilted his head upward at the dinosaur and there was only a moment of terrifyingly tense silence before a huge pair of jaws snapped close around the guards body. Alex slapped a hand over his mouth to keep from crying out, feeling the bile start to rise in his throat at the sickening crunches and snaps that followed. Alex only had a couple seconds to pull himself together before he knew what he needed to do. 

Grabbing the knife from his belt, he squirmed onto his back and reached up to cut one of the tubes on the underside of the car. He tore his knife though it desperately until gasoline poured down from the tube and onto his face. He reached up to angle the tube, making sure the gasoline was covering most of his body. He had to mask his scent or else he didn't stand a chance. He glanced over to the side and stilled instantly when he saw the proximity between him and the Indominus. The clawed feet stomped over to his truck, shaking the ground again, and Alex sucked in his breath and held it. From the corner of his eye he watched as those terrifying jaws came into view again, so close this time that Alex could smell the disgustingly metallic and earthy smell of only one thing. 

_Blood._

He recognized it instantly from his days in the navy, but having it so close and so inhuman made him live the experiences all over again. Indominus parted her jaws, revealing large, bloodstained teeth, and growled, a deep low rumbling sound that sent sparks of fear down Alex's spine. Her jaws were stained dark red with blood and gore, and Alex had to keep from rolling over on his side and vomiting. He held his breath and waited, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as Indominus’ breath washed over him again, drowning him in the rancid stench of death. She growled again before letting out an ear piercing roar that cut through the still summer air like a knife through butter, and the bloody jaws were gone from his vision. There was the undeniable sound of stomping as Indominus took her leave, but Alex still refused to move. 

He was frozen in fear, covered in gasoline, his heart still racing from fear and shock. He waited until the stomping could no longer be heard, and even then he waited after that, just to be safe. After a while, he turned over onto his belly and crawled out from underneath the truck and ran over to the grass to retch out all the fear and shock and panic. Even after that he sat in the grass for a good five minutes, trying to get his heart to slow down. After his heart rate slowed to a more gentle pace, he inhaled deeply, and stood up. 

He had to find Philip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh shit


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shits getting real dudes  
> also I'm working on more one shots for you babes be patient <33333

From the second Aaron rushed out of the elevator and into the control room, every eye was on him. The entire room was dead silent, John was holding Peggy, who was sobbing softly into his arms, and even Aaron's uncle was there and he was staring at him with the unmistakeable look of disappointment in his eyes. He couldn't blame them. What had happened was something straight out of a nightmare, from the background noises he’d heard over his headset to what John had described to him. Aaron swallowed thickly, his eyes flicking up to look at the destroyed paddock door on the screen. 

The Indominus Rex had escaped.

“Everyone, remain calm.” Aaron spoke slowly, but loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room. He forced his feet to move, ignoring the glares he got from his uncle and technicians alike. “John, what's the status on Indominus?”

“Uh…” John hesitated before peeling himself away from Peggy and going over to his desk. “I-it's moving really fast...”

“Okay. Okay, it's implant will shock it if it gets too close to one of the perimeter fences.” Aaron moved over to stand directly in front of the screen, where John had pulled up a tracker of the Indominus’ movements. He was right, it was moving fast.

Peggy wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed, moving over to her desk and taking a seat. She took a deep breath before flicking on her headset.

“This is control, put on a park wide alert, I repeat, put-”

“Hang up the damn phone, please.” Aaron's uncle cut in, waving his hand and signaling for Peggy to stop. She pursed her lips but obeyed his orders.

“I apologize, I'm getting new information.”

“The entire reputation of this park is built solely on how we can handle mishaps like these.” Edwards explained, his eyes scanning over the entire control room. Aaron looked at him strangely and let out an airy laugh of disbelief.

“ _Mishaps_? It has killed people, Edwards.”

“That is unfortunate.” He sighed after a moment of tense silence. “But we need to handle this as professionals. An asset out of containment can be quietly and calmly captured.”

Aaron nodded, inhaling and exhaling repeatedly, trying to settle his buzzing nerves. He could handle this. He _had_ to handle this.

“Wow. You should put that in the brochure.” John scoffed, fiddling with a dinosaur figurine on his desk, his gaze distant. Edwards sent him a look, but he didn't seem to notice. “That’ll bring in profits for sure.”

“Paddock 11 is four miles away from the nearest attraction. ACU can handle this.” Everyone else nodded and seemed to take comfort in what Aaron said, but the words were meant to reassure himself more than anyone. Aaron rubbed the palms of his hands along his pants anxiously, as everyone rushed to get ACU on the line. 

“To all units, we have a Code 19, there is an asset out of containment. This is a non-lethal operation, is that clear?”

Soon they had ACU body cams rolling up on the screen and the pulse rates of all twelve units next to it. They were tracking down the Indominus by its implant, and with every passing second they got closer and Aaron got more anxious. Aaron folded his arms across his chest and sighed, his eyes never leaving the screen. Never in his career did he think he'd have to do something like this, but here he was.

“Are you sure we should be going after that thing with non-lethal weapons?” Aaron asked his uncle, not bothering to look over at him.

“That dinosaur is worth too much. I'm not risking its life if we can capture it docilely and without injury.”

Aaron snorted uncontrollably, and shook his head. “You don't care about life. You only care about the money you have invested in it.”

He could feel his uncle's eyes boring into his skin, and he immediately regretted saying it. He'd crossed a line that he shouldn’t have, even if what he said was true. He finally turned and met his glare, and waited for the impending lecture that he'd heard all his life. He'd heard it so many times, that it was on replay throughout his head almost every single day. 

_‘Everything you are, you are because of me. I raised you, without me you would be nothing. This park, everything you have, your name, is here because of me. You would be nothing without me. You are nothing without me.’_

Aaron held his gaze until he couldn't bare it anymore, until he couldn't bare the disappointment and disgust, and he tore his eyes away finally, hating himself for it. 

“Sir, I need to see your badge. Sir- I need to see a badge!” 

Aaron and his uncle turned at the same time, just as Alexander came storming out of the elevator, barely being held back by the security guard. Aaron stared at him, as he approached. God, he looked like hell.

“What the _fuck_ happened out there?” Alexander spat at him, as the security guard grabbed him and held him back. His eyes were blazing with unbridled rage and it hurt, seeing him like that, dripping with sweat and...was that gasoline Aaron smelled? “There are thermal sensors all over that paddock, that thing did not just disappear!”

Aaron waved his hand, motioning for the guard to let go of Alexander. He did after looking at him suspiciously, and thankfully Alexander didn't try to strangle him.

“It must have been some kind of...malfunction.” Aaron finished finally, cursing inwardly at his lack of a better word, and he knew Alexander was going to give him shit for it. And he did.

“Malfunction? Burr, she marked up that wall as a distraction! She wanted us to believe she got out!”

“We are talking about a dinosaur here, Mr Hamilton.” Edwards cut in, giving him the same look he'd given Aaron earlier. 

_‘Yes, that's all it is. That's all it ever was, just another dinosaur. Just another asset. You can handle this.’_

“A highly intelligent dinosaur that you made in a lab.”  
“400 meters to the beacon.” Peggy cut in, and Aaron turned immediately. They were almost on top of the blinking red dot.

“You're going after her with non-lethals.” Alex hissed, his voice practically dripping with grim rage as he came to stand next to Aaron. 

“We have 24 million dollars invested in that asset. We cannot just kill it.” Edwards came to stand on his other side, and soon the entire room had their eyes up on the screen. 

“Call it off.”

“200 meters.”

“Burr, call this operation off, right now.” 

“You are not in charge here!” Aaron exclaimed, his gaze flicking over to the side briefly. 

_‘I am in charge, I am in control. This is my park, I can handle this, I can control this. He doesn't make the calls, I do. You can handle this.’_

“Oh, and _you_ are?” Alexander spat, and Aaron looked over at him, something like realization hitting him in the back of his mind. He needed to call this off.

It was too late.

“ACU has reached the beacon.”

All eyes were on the screen.

“They’re all going to die.” Alexander whispered off to his side. Aaron had the horrible gut feeling that he was right. Through the body cams, they could see everything that was happening. The entire world seemed to be holding it’s breath.

 

The ACU vehicle had stopped in the middle of a dense forest, right near the bank of a crystal clear stream. To anyone, it was beautiful, with the sparkling water falling serenely over the rocks and the hot Costa Rican sun shining down through the green leaves of the trees, cloaking the forest in a pale green haze. It would be beautiful, if it weren't for the ravenous killing machine that was hiding somewhere close by. 

The entire ACU crew had their tranquilizers at the ready, crouching low and sweeping the barrels of their guns from side to side. Captain Hamada held up a hand suddenly, motioning for the entire team to stop. They watched, silent and still, as he approached a rock jutting out from the stream, his footsteps splashing gently through the babbling water. He crouched down and lifted something off the rock, and upon closer inspection, he realized it was a chunk of scaly flesh with a blinking implant sticking out of it.  
He leaned down to speak into his watch.

“The blood’s not clotted yet, it's close.” 

 

“What is _that_?” Aaron asked, staring at the bloody chunk of flesh that was held in Hamada’s hand. 

“That's her tracking implant. She clawed it out.” Alexander gaped from his side, and then ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

“How would it know to do that?”

“She remembered where they put in.” 

 

Captain Hamada was about to stand up, when something wet fell onto his wrist, just missing the glass screen of his watch.

It was blood.

He stared at the warm, dark red droplet as it ran down the curve of his wrist. Another two fell onto his wrist, dripping down to join the other droplet. Hamada looked up slowly, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the emerald green leaves of the tree above him were dripping with dark red blood. He stood up as the foliage around them started to rustle and branches started to snap and crack. Hamada stared at the dark green brush, his eyes searching for white scales.

The dark green brush started to move.

And suddenly the dark green brush turned into a dinosaur.

A huge, deadly looking, white scaled dinosaur. She parted her jaws full of lethal, blood and gore encrusted fangs, and emitted a low, menacing growl. The growl spurred Hamada into action as the chunk of meat fell from his hand and into the river with an eerily satisfying splash.

_“It can camouflage!”_

Indominus, seemingly irritated by Hamada’s shout of alarm, let out a roar that startled birds from the trees. Hamada turned to run but before he could get more than a couple feet away, Indominus snatched him up in her monstrous claws. His feet kicked out wildly, sending innocent droplets of water flying everywhere, his screams echoing through the dense forest. Charge after charge flew from ACU’s tranquilizing guns, hitting the Indominus all over her body. The charges did nothing. 

Except anger her.

Letting out another angry roar, she threw Hamada down into the river, and he scrambled immediately to his feet, gasping for air and sloshing through the water. He didn't even have the time to reach his gun - which had fallen from his hand when he was lifted into the air - before the Indominus’ foot stomped down on top of him, thrusting him beneath the surface of the water, crushing his body and drowning him against the rocks.

 

His pulse rate flatlined.

 

At the sight of their captain’s gruesome end, the ACU units scattered. Some tried to run into the undergrowth to hide, others ran to escape the Indominus’ field of vision, all while firing charges at the colossal killing machine. Indominus bellowed furiously, tramping through the foliage and after the disbanding soldiers. Indominus spun herself in a half circle, chasing a soldier who was sprinting for his life, whilst simultaneously knocking down several other units with her lengthy tail. In fact, she spun so fast that her tail sent two soldiers flying, one’s head smacking into a tree and the others back cracking sickeningly over a thick tree branch.

 

Two more flatlined.

 

ACU started to retreat, probably realizing that this was something they couldn't handle. Indominus bellowed again, something so nightmarish that it seemed to shake the earth itself. Indominus thrusted it's claws into the ground, pulling up clumps of grass and soil, and parted her jaws challengingly at the soldiers. Her thick, heavy tail swished menacingly behind her body, and it knocked over a loose standing tree which fell and crushed an unfortunate soldier trying to escape death.

She swiped her claw to the left and caught another who was trying to evade her observant glare. Lifting him up into the leaves of the trees, his screams were cut short by a series of snaps and crunches and dark, shimmering blood spattered onto the ground below.

 

Two more down.

 

By this point, everyone was retreating. Some were limping and leaning on their fellow soldiers, some were too slow and were caught by her claws. Some anonymous soldier fired off a snare gun and the spinning, dark, coiled net hooked around Indominus’ muzzle, momentarily stalling her and buying the retreating soldiers some much needed time. She stumbled back a little, the thick black coils muffling her enraged roars as she struggled to claw the net off her jaws. One particularly daring soldier seized the relief of the moment and turned to fire bullets at Indominus’ massive skull. The relief was short lived though, as Indominus ripped the net off, an eerie finality about the swift movement, and shook her head as she ran at the soldier, huge jaws parted wide, with a terrifying, self assured screech.

The bullets stopped coming the second her jaws snapped shut around his body.

 

One more flatline.

Ten had entered.

Only four had made it out.

Aaron didn't even want to think about the fact that the survivors might die of their wounds in the infirmary. 

The control room was so deadly silent you could hear a pin drop. John held his head between his hands, and Edwards had his hands clasped together in front of his mouth, and for the first time Aaron saw sorrow on his face. Aaron's mouth felt like sand, and his throat felt like slate, each shallow breath cutting deep and painful. Several seconds of silence passed, and finally, Alexander turned, backing away slightly, and stared at him. His eyes were cold and harsh.

“Evacuate the island.”

“...We’d never reopen.” Aaron whispered desperately. He knew it was a shit excuse, he knew it made him sound like an ignorant, selfish asshole, but his parents had _died_ for this park. There had to be some way he could prevent further loss of life and still protect their legacy. 

Alexander glared at him. “You made a genetic hybrid.” He began, intertwining his fingers and resting his arms on the back of his head as he paced. “And raised her in captivity. She is seeing all of this for the first time,” he waved his hand vaguely at the screen, “and _she_ does not even know what she _is_.”

Edwards snorted from behind Aaron. “You think the asset is becoming self aware.”

Alexander turned on him. “She is figuring out where she fits in the food chain and I don't think you want her to figure that out.”

“Aaron, this thing is going to kill everything that moves.” John looked up at him, his eyes pleading. “You have to shut this down.”

“My God.” Edwards sighed, passing a hand over his eyes and fixing Aaron with a patronizing glare. “What would your parents say?”

_‘Ouch.’_

“ACU has the ability to use lethal ammunition in an emergency situation and you have an M1-34 in your armory, so get it on a chopper, and smoke this thing!” 

“There are families here, Hamilton, I am not turning this park into a war zone!” Aaron turned on him, desperately trying to justify his actions without losing his shit.

“You already have.”

“Hamilton, if you are not going to offer any help, I suggest you leave.” Edwards waved over the security guard, who nodded and approached Alexander with a guarded look in his eyes. Alexander swore loudly, and yanked himself away violently when the guard tried to grab him. He walked briskly and angrily towards the elevator, stopping at Aaron's side. Aaron thought with a brisk moment of panic that Alexander was going to hit him, but he remained standing stiff and motionless, his eyes narrowed and angry. 

“Do you really still put your full trust in those scientists in the lab?”

Without waiting for an answer - not that Aaron had one at the ready - Alexander turned on his heel and walked briskly out of the control room, not turning back. Aaron stared after him, begging him to come back in a _‘don't make me do this alone’_ kind of way. 

He turned back around and took a deep, shuddering breath, and looked around the room. All eyes were on him. 

_‘It's up to you.’_

_‘You can handle this.’_

“I am going to close everything North of the park.” Aaron said slowly, swallowing thickly and inhaling deeply again. “This is a Phase One, real world, bring _everyone_ in.”

As the technicians turned in their seats to contact every exhibit North of the park, Aaron became aware of a pair of eyes burning into the back of his head. He turned and met his uncles stone cold glare and forced down his urge to flinch. He knew damn well what the glare meant, even as Edwards pulled his glare away and walked slowly out of the control room. 

_‘You can't handle this.’_


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theo: what's the worst that could happen?  
> Me: honeychild you have no idea what I have in store lmaoooo
> 
> Sorry for the late update! I was super busy on Thursday and Friday and I took a little vacation/hiatus with a few friend to Chicago and it was lit  
> Edit: apparently this didn't update correctly so let's try this again
> 
> also happy Mother's Day!!!

_“Do you have sunscreen?”_

_“Yep.”_

_“Your first aid kit?”_

_“Always.”_

_“Cellphone?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Pepper spray?”_

_“ **Yes** , Dad.”_

_“I just want to be sure, Theo.” Aaron turned to face his daughter, bringing his cup of coffee to his lips as he did so. Theo pulled her backpack off the ground and slung it around her shoulders._

_“It's alright, Dad, don't worry. I know how to be safe.”_

_“I know you do.” Aaron said softly and fondly. The toaster made a popping sound, and Theo leaned up to grab the freshly warmed pop tarts. Aaron wasn't too fond of her having sugar for breakfast, but she had somehow convinced him to let it slide, and she was great at arguing._

_“You have money for lunch, right?”_

_“Mhm.”_

_“Okay, don't forget to call-”_

_“I know, I know, don't forget to call around lunch, reapply sunscreen every three hours, stay away from strangers, and don't get to close to the baby Archaeopteryxes.”_

_“That's my girl.” Aaron smiled fondly and maybe a little sadly before ruffling Theo’s curls affectionately. Theo smiled back reassuringly, as if she could read his thoughts._

_“You shouldn't worry about the meeting Dad, I know you're going to crush it.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. He chuckled softly and leaned down to kiss the top of her head._

_“Thank you, sweetheart.” He glanced at his watch, “Okay, you'll be safe, won't you?”_

_Theo pulled away and gave him a thumbs up and nodded._

_“Alright, be safe and have fun.”_

_“Okay Dad, I’ll see you tonight!”_

_“And remember,” Aaron crouched down to her level and smiled playfully, “if something chases you, **run**.”_

Theo adjusted the strap of her backpack impatiently as she stood in the line for the Gyrosphere. She'd been waiting for almost two hours now, and she was beyond relieved when she finally got to the front of the line. The two teen girls in front of her were really getting on her nerves, and that wasn't helping with the impatience at all.

_“What do you think of this top?”_ One girl had asked not five minutes ago, showing the girl next to her something on her phone.

_“Oh my God. Do you like that?”_

_“A little, you don't?”_

_“Ugh, it looks so gay, don’t get it.”_

_“Oh. Alright.”_

She allowed herself a breath of relief when an empty Gyrosphere came up for them, and the two girls buckled themselves in and departed. 

A couple minutes later and another empty Gyrosphere came up. She started to climb in, but the employee stuck out his hand.

“Woah there. Sorry miss, but we can't have any single riders.”

Oh.

Oh crud.

Theo hadn't even thought of that. 

“Are there any other single riders that would like to come to the front?”

Theo panicked, the thought of being alone in a closed space for an extended period of time with a complete stranger alarming her. What if they were racist, or homophobic? What if they talked too much, or what if they were just a creepy person in general?

Theo turned to the employee, ready to say something along the lines of _‘Oh that's alright, sir. I'll just go catch the next T-Rex feeding.’_

But then someone raised their hand a little ways back in the line, and Theo stopped. It was too late, she'd look rude of she excused herself now. They made their way to the front of the line, and Theo let herself relax slightly when she saw him. 

He was just a boy, looking about her age, with a head of dark curls and freckles. He smiled shyly at her, and offered a halfhearted wave. She returned it. He didn't look like a creep, and he didn't act like one by the way he let Theo get on first. 

She sat down in her seat and put her bag on the glass floor between her feet before buckling herself in. 

“I'm Philip.” The boy, Philip, said, and stuck out his hand. Theo hesitated a second, her eyes flicking between Philip’s face and his hand, before sticking out her own and grasping his.

“I'm Theodosia.” She smiled, and he seemed to smile wider in return. “But you can call me Theo.”

Philip nodded and dropped his hand to the joystick in between the seats that controlled the ride. Theo always thought it was a bold choice to let the rides be individually controlled, but it was pretty fun. 

“So...is this your first time here?” Theo asked him, regarding the way Philip maneuvered the Gyrosphere with ease. She was absolute garbage at small talk, but hopefully he was just as socially awkward as her and wouldn't push a conversation.

Philip laughed and glanced over at her, almost nervously. “Oh, no, I actually kinda live here.”

Theo brightened almost instantly. At least they had something in common! “Oh! Actually I live here too!”

Philip turned to her, and he looked more confident already. “Really?”

“Yeah, my dad runs the park.”

Philip’s mouth dropped into an ‘o’ shape. “Wow. You must be like, VIP, right?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Theo responded, laughing a little. “What about you? Why do you live on the island?”

“Oh, my dad works under the raptor training program.” Philip shrugged as if it was nothing, but the pride was evident in his voice. Theo smiled and nodded, deciding to herself that she liked this kid. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

“Does your mom live on the island too?”  
Philip's face darkened, and the proud smile dropped, and Theo suddenly got the feeling she'd hit a sensitive spot. 

“Ah, no...my mom died when I was little, actually.”

Oh.

_Oh._

“Oh.” Was all Theo could manage.

“Yeah.” Was all Philip could manage.

“I’m so sorry…”

They were silent for multiple seconds, both of them stewing in embarrassment. After a minute, Theo cleared her throat, making Philip look up at her.

“Um...I know it probably doesn't help at all but...my mom died when I was three.” 

He looked at her for a long time, occasionally glancing forward to make sure they wouldn't run into anything.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Theo nodded and offered a sad smile. “Stomach cancer.”

Philip nodded sadly and turned forward in his seat, “Brain cancer.”

They remained silent for a couple minutes, the only sound in the thick glass sphere was the sound of Jimmy Fallon's voice coming from the screen and the mechanical whir from the floor. Theo’s eyes were focused on the blue steel floor, mentally kicking herself for even asking Philip about his mom and ruining the mood.

“Woah.” She heard Philip sigh and he poked her arm. She looked up and her mouth dropped.

Dinosaurs.

Huge, beautiful, dinosaurs. Standing tall above the Gyrosphere, some grazing, others lying lazily in the lush grass. In the distance, partially obscured by huge trees, were Brontosauruses and Brachiosauruses, feeding on leaves and vines. 

“Wow.” Theo agreed, letting out an airy laugh. Philip glanced at her briefly before moving the Gyrosphere carefully between two sleeping Triceratops. 

“Have you seen this all before?”

“Yeah but…” Theo shook her head, smiling dopily, “it never ceases to amaze, you know?”

Philip nodded as Theo leaned down to pull her _Jurassic Identification Manual_ from her backpack and proceeding to name every species of dinosaur they saw (along with its diet and description).

A sound from their screen made them both look down, and a blinking red symbol had come over their screen.

_Ride Closed_

_“Due to technical difficulties, the ride will now be closed until further notice. Please direct your Gyrosphere towards the nearest…”_

Theo's spirits fell almost instantly, and by the look on Philip's face, he felt the same. He sighed and started to scan the map for their nearest exit.

“Aw, come on, we can stay out a little longer.” Theo pleaded, and Philip looked up at her, skeptical.

“But the ride’s closed?”

“Dude,” Theo started, holding up the wristband her dad had given her this morning, “you said it yourself: we’re VIP. What's the worst that could happen? If you want, I’ll drive?”

Philip hesitated, looking unsure, then pulled away from the screen and smiled.

“Let's do this.”

Theo smiled.

She was gonna like this kid.

 

Aaron was standing by himself in the control room, his arms crossed defensively over his chest. His attention was focused on the live count up in the corner of the big screen

_21,207_

He inhaled deeply, uncrossed his arms and pulled his phone out of his suit pocket. He quickly dialed Theodosia’s number and raised it to his ear.

_‘Please pick up, please pick up, please, please-’_

“Hey dad!”

“Theo?” 

_‘Thank God, oh thank God.’_

Aaron took a deep breath and tried to keep the concern from showing in his voice. The last thing he needed was to worry her.

“Hey, honey, how is it going?”

“Good-”

The call dropped.

_‘Nononononono-'_

“-with a boy named Philip!”

“Where are you, sweetheart?” Aaron asked, starting to panic. “I think the call dropped out momentarily.”

“What?”

“Theo, where are you?”

“In the Gyrosphere. Dad, I think the call’s dropping or-”

It dropped again, and her voice started coming in choppy little clips. 

“Theo? I need you to come back in, okay? We’re having some difficulties and-”

Silence.

Aaron took the phone away from his ear and looked at it. The call had dropped completely. He whirled around and looked at the screen. Indominus was almost to the valley where the Gyrospheres were roaming. He rushed over to John's side, leaning over him and looking at the headcount he was taking of the guests who were evacuating the valley.

“Are there any Gyrospheres left in the valley?”

“No, they're all evacuated, wha-” John stopped and exhaled irritably, “yeah, there's one near the plains.”

“Bring them back, now.”

Peggy pressed a button on her headset. 

“Security, we need a search and rescue in the valley-”

_“Uh, we've got our hands full down here, it's gonna hafta wait-”_

Aaron grumbled and grabbed the phone from the desk. 

“No, no, _hell_ no, my daughter is missing, you need to make this your top priority!”

Peggy and John shared alarmed glances.

Static came over the phone along with muffled irritated voices. Aaron swore loudly, making a note to fire whoever was on the other end. 

_‘If there is anyone left to fire after all this.’_

“Fine, I'll do it myself.” 

Aaron turned and walked speedily out of the room, fear for Theo's life thrumming through his veins. He pressed the elevator button repeatedly, as if it would make it come any faster. 

 

 

“Well, you can tell that one is the alpha because it's the biggest and its crest is bright orange, see how it's challenging the smaller one? That's cause-”

“Woah, what happened here?”

Theo turned from where she was babbling on and on about two Parasaurolophuses that were fighting. She followed Philip's gaze and her eyes landed on the fence gate at the edge of the plains. The gate looked like it had been torn open; it was lying crumpled and broken on the grass, and scratch marks decorated the metal on either side of the hole where the gate had been. A broken _Off Limits_ sign hung solemnly from one corner of the dismantled gate.

“Oh…” Theo started, her brow furrowing, unsure of what to say. 

Philip turned to her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “ _Off-roading_.” He suggested, grinning.

Some deep, cautious intuition told her that they needed to get away, that they should have left when the ride closed.

_‘Stop that Theo, you're just being paranoid. Just a little bit longer and then we’ll go back.’_

“I don't know...do you think it'll be safe?”

“Yeah! I mean, this is the herbivore part of the park, there's nothing to worry about.”

Theo drummed her fingers along her thigh thoughtfully, trying to push down the uneasy feeling building in her stomach.

_‘Say no, say no, go, get out of here, gogoGO-’_

“Yeah, alright, let's do it.”

Philip grinned and moved the stick shift forward.

 

Aaron took the stairs down two at a time, weaving quickly through the throng of people at the bottom. He was muttering _‘excuse me’s_ and pushing past the people, when a commotion from across the center caught his attention. He looked and found himself staring as another security guard reached out to grab Alexander by the arm and Alexander pulled away, raising his hands innocently.

“Do you really think I’m the problem you need to be worried about right now?”

Aaron didn't hear the rest, even though Alexander's mouth was still moving. He rushed past the crowd, _‘excuse me’s_ forgotten and heart pounding. He stepped between the guard and the raptor trainer, and pushed the guard gently away.

“It's alright, I can take care of this.”

The guard looked at him strangely, fixed Alexander with a disapproving look, and left. Alexander turned on him, ready to argue, but Aaron cut him off.

“I need you.”

Alexander shut his mouth, looking Aaron up and down and-...this man was _not_ blushing.

_‘Oh for the love of God, please be professional about this.’_

“Okay?” He responded finally, sounding slightly unsure of himself. 

“It's my daughter, she's in the Gyrospheres, please, Alexander if anything happens to her I’ll-”

Aaron's voice broke suddenly and Alexander held up a hand to stop him. Looking around, Alexander grabbed his wrist and pulled into a nearby empty hallway. 

“How old is she?” Alexander turned to him, the concern that was evident in his eyes and voice surprising Aaron. 

“S-she's only ten-”

“Is she alone?”

“Y-...no. No, she said she was with a boy, God what was his name?”

“Philip? Don't tell me his name was Philip?”

Aaron looked up. “That's him!”

“That's my son!”

Their eyes met with realization.

“We have to find them.”

 

 

“It's really pretty around here.” Theo sighed, looking around at the dense green foliage dappled with sunlight. Philip nodded and steered the Gyrosphere between a couple trees and into a clearing. 

“Aw, sweet.” He said with a little laugh, and Theo turned. They had stopped in a sunny little clearing where four Ankylosauruses were grazing peacefully. Theo nodded her agreement, glad she had let Philip convince her to come out here. 

“It's nice to see them up close like this. Especially a pack of them in their natural habitat, it's almost like we’re really back in the Jurassic Era, y’know?”

Theo didn't hear him. She was too busy  
focusing on something reflected in the glass. It was almost like there were...teeth on the glass. Long, fangs, like predators teeth. Surely that couldn't be possible?

“...Hey, Philip?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you...see that too?”

Philip turned and looked at her strangely, then followed her gaze. His eyes searched the glass, confused, and he glanced at her. 

“What…”

His eyes widened, and Theo felt something like alarm spark through her. It _wasn't_ just her imagination. 

“Do you see that too?” Her voice came out as a scared whisper, and she hated herself for it. Instead of responding, Philip turned in his seat slowly, his eyes slowly traveling upward. Theo followed his gaze, just turning her head slowly so she could glance behind her. All she saw was scales and teeth, white and _red_ , before a screeching roar cut through the air and ricocheted around the glass chamber. Her heart leaped in her chest and she panicked, turning to Philip.

“Go, go, go!”

" _Shit!_ "

Philip responded quickly, grabbing at the stick shift, but not quick enough. There was a loud thud and the sphere lurched forward, the seat belt being the only thing keeping their heads from hitting the glass wall. The world passed by in a dizzying, fast paced spin that made Theo almost throw up her lunch. They hit something, maybe a tree, maybe a rock, maybe even a dinosaur, but the spinning stopped suddenly.

They were in the middle of the clearing, and the Ankylosauruses were retreating with fearful roars as the dinosaur that had kicked them came thundering out of the brush.

“Philip, go!”

Philip grabbed the stick shift and yanked it forward, and the sphere moved forward again. Theo's heart was drumming hard against her ribcage and she knew the Gyrosphere was not moving this slow before. She looked back briefly, and caught a glimpse of one Ankylosaurus bringing its hammer like tail back and swinging it and-

The tail struck the side of glass loudly, cracked it, and sent the Gyrosphere spinning again. A terrified scream ripped from her throat as the world passed before her eyes and she was thrown against her seat as the spheres hit a tree. Theo closed her eyes tightly in fear. Suddenly they were upside down, the blue metal floor of the Gyrosphere above their heads. Her back pack fell with a thud to the floor - or rather, the ceiling - and the whirring of the gears above died with a single metallic sputter. Theo gasped for breath, the belt cutting awkwardly into her chest, her throat feeling dry and dusty. 

Even though her head was spinning and she was surely going to puke at any moment, she opened her eyes and craned her head to look at Philip. He was staring wide eyes out the glass side of the sphere. Theo looked, and for the first time, got an actual glance at what had attacked. It was huge, maybe even bigger than a T-Rex, and completely white. It roared again, a horrible sound that turned her blood to ice, and extended its claws at the Ankylosaurus and rushed forward. It tried to bite down on the shell of its back, but flinched back from the spikes. 

The Ankylosaurus roared angrily and tried to twist around and bite the bigger dinosaur. Philip was jiggling the stick shift desperately, trying to get them upright again. The white dinosaur figured out that it couldn't get through the shell, and reached over the Ankylosaurus, raking its claws into the flesh of its legs. Fresh blood, dark and red, gushed from the wound, and the Ankylosaurus roared out in pain and fury. 

While the Ankylosaurus was distracted by pain, the other dinosaur grabbed it by its leg again and with one massive heave, flipped it over onto its spiked shell. The Ankylosaurus whimpered, its stumpy legs flailing pleadingly, like an overturned beetle. The monster placed a clawed foot on its stomach, clamped its jaws shut around the Ankylosauruses head, and _twisted._

_Snap._

“Shit, shit, _shit_!” Philip's voice was breaking and Theo clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from crying out. She squeezed her eyes shut, and this time the tears fell, silently and quickly. 

“It's okay, Theo, it's okay.” Philip babbled reaching out to take one of her hands. “W-we’re safe in here.”

Theo nodded, wishing she was home cozy and safe in her bed. This had to be a dream, this could not be real. Any second she would wake up in her bed, safe in her room, surrounded by the nostalgic comfort of the house she'd been raised in.

A loud, sharp buzzing cut through the air and they both looked down. Theo's phone was vibrating against the glass, dancing slightly over the smooth surface.

_Dad._

Theo reached up, but _damn_ she was short. Her arms didn't even come within three inches of her phone and she let out a frustrated sob. 

_‘Please Dad, help, oh my God this is when I die, I need the phone, I need help-’_

“Let me, I’m taller.” Philip spoke quickly, and Theo nodded frantically, willing to take any suggestion that might save them. Philip reached, his face a mask of concentration, his fingers brushed her phone, and Theo felt hope spark in her chest. She looked up, remembering that there was a monster outside and-

Oh _no._

“Philip.”

“Hold on, I almost-”

“Philip, _look_.” Her voice came out as a sob, and Philip finally looked up. 

The dinosaurs deep golden eye was right up against the glass, its pupil contracted, studying and searching. It blinked, an opaque membrane sliding across its eye, and Theo thought she had never something so inhumane in her life. 

There was a low rumbling sound, which Theo briefly registered as a growl, and then the dinosaur was moving. For a brief, relieving moment she thought it hadn't seen them, but then they both watched wide eyed as the dinosaur situated itself directly above them, and clawed the Gyrosphere into a half upright. Theo felt the sphere move with a creak, and then the dinosaur was raising its claw high into the air and bringing it down. The claw, long and sharp, went right through the thick glass, and Theo yelped despite her best efforts as shards of glass fell to the floor like deadly little snowflakes. The Gyrosphere moved again, this time into a completely upright position, and Philip's hand flew to grab hers again. 

The dinosaurs head reared back and its jaw opened wide, revealing needle like blood encrusted fangs. The jaws came down against the glass, the breath fogging up the muddy glass, and this time Theo did scream and Philip screamed too. It's jaws slid awkwardly against the glass, before the teeth found purchase and bit down. The teeth broke right through the glass, more shards flying down and stinging Theo's face. Before they knew what was happening, they were being lifted off the ground and for a fleeting second Theo thought the dinosaur was going to throw them, but then the world was rushing by them again as they were thrown down against the ground.

Something fell into Theo's lap - which she faintly registered as her backpack - and the air was filled with the mingled sound of cracking glass that was just on the verge of shattering and their horrified screams. Theo's stomach lurched as they were lifted into the air again, and within seconds brought smashing back down to the ground. This time the glass did shatter, and the noise seemed way too loud in her ears. 

Philip heard the glass shatter too, and an idea popped into his head, it was insane but it might just save them. He reached over and grappled for the buckle of Theo's seatbelt as the dinosaur lifted the sphere into the air again. Philip frantically pushed both their buckles, his heart pounding at the realization of the fact that if they were still in the sphere by the time it hit the ground they'd be goners. Gravity did its work and both of them fell from their seats and onto the missy ground below. 

Philip scrambled to his feet, but Theo grabbed him and pulled him back just in time as the mangled Gyrosphere came smashing down around them, coming so close to Philip's face that he felt the wind rush past him. The rest of the glass exploded around them, leaving only a broken metal shell remaining. The monster above them roared triumphantly. 

Theo saw their chance to escape, slung her backpack over her shoulders, grabbed Philip's wrist and pulled him to his feet. Philip hissed in pain and yanked his arm away, and Theo's hand came away bloody. She reached seized his hand this time, and pulled desperately.

“ _Run_!”

Philip held her hand tightly and soon they were both sprinting towards the edge of the clearing, where the trees thinned out to a wide grassy field. Theo's felt like her heart was going to combust it was beating so fast, and each gasping breath in stung her throat painfully. She cursed herself for being so short, her stride was short and Philip was slightly ahead of her. Still, instead of leaving her behind he held her hand tight and looked back at her to pull her along. 

Every muscle in her body was screaming at her to stop, and she thought she was going to pass out when a piercing roar cut through the air. She chanced a peek over her shoulder and let out a choked sob when she saw the huge white body break through the dense trees. The ground shook as it chased after them, bloody jaws open wide and menacing. Despite her pain she willed her legs to go faster, the long blades of grass whipping and cutting her face and body. She could hear the monster getting closer, and the adrenaline thrumming through her body was slowly turning to fear and panic.

This was surely where she met her end. 

They were nearing a cliff and Theo almost started crying. They were cornered. They both looked over the side of rocky face and into deep blue water, churned white by a waterfall off to their left.

“We have to jump!” She heard Philip say.

“No, _no_ I can't!” Theo turned to him and shook her head. The dinosaur was coming closer and closer, each pounding step shaking her to her core.

“We have to!” Philip glanced over at it, then quickly back to her. “One, two-”

“Philip-”

Closer and closer and closer-

He took her hand and leaped, and the ground disappeared from beneath her feet as she surprised herself and did the same She could feel the rushing wind at her back and she could hear the sound of the jaws snapping shut around the space where their bodies had been less than a second ago. They seemed to hover in the air for a split second, and then they were falling, falling, falling, the breath forced from her lungs as the air rushed into her mouth. They hit the surface with a smacking pain but then they were sinking deep below the surface and into the churning water.

She couldn't breath, she had been so panicked that she had forgotten to take a breath when they jumped, and now the water was rushing into her nostrils and choking her. This was absolutely where she died. Theo swung her arms wildly, trying to get to the surface, to the air, when Philip grabbed her foot. She had been so caught up in the aspect of her imminent death that she had forgotten he was right there with her. The water stung her eyes and she wanted to close them but she could still see that he had a finger over his lips and was pointing upwards. 

She realized that if she went up now the dinosaur would surely kill her.

Which was worse, being eaten alive or suffocating in a watery grave?

Indominus stared into the blue water, cold golden eyes searching for any movement. It's ample tail swished over the grass, stirring the long blades and chunks of rock fell from the cliff as it's deadly front claws dug into the earth. It stared for another moment or two, then, when no one came up, it roared furiously and stomped off. 

A few seconds later, Theo and Philip popped up, mouths agape as they both wheezed for air. Theo coughed violently, exhaustion racking her body as she swam towards shore, Philip following close behind. She dug her fingers into the mud, scrabbling feebly for purchase in the slick dark soil. Still coughing, she threw herself down on the bank next to Philip, her chest heaving. Philip closed his eyes for a moment, then jumped up quickly and ran over to a nearby bush. Theo watched confused, and then heard him throw up, and understood.

She breathed deep, and _God_ , air had never tasted that sweet before. She rolled lazily over on her back, closed her eyes, and sobbed quietly. After a few minutes, her sobs subsided and so did Philip's retching, and silence reigned. Another moment passed and she heard him come and sit down next to her. She opened her eyes finally and sat up painfully.

Philip had been crying too, she could see where the tears wiped clean tracks through the mud on his face. He sniffed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand miserably. Theo rested her head on her knees as relief flooded through her, and suddenly everything came back to her. That dinosaur, she hadn’t seen anything like it. It was surely not a T-Rex or a Spinosaurus or anything like that. It wasn't a dinosaur. 

It was a monster.

_‘What was it doing in the plains? Only herbivores live there. Oh no, it must have escaped. Oh God, people are hurt aren't they?’_

People were surely hurt. Theo remembered the blood in its jaws and the smell when it had broken the glass. Is that why they closed the Gyrospheres? People were hurt, that's why, or even worse…

_‘Stop it Theo, don't think like that. Dad would never let that happen.’_

But what if _he_ was hurt?

“Are you okay?” Philip's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up. He was looking at her, his eyes concerned and scared. 

“Not really.” She responded, her voice coming out broken and hoarse. She tried to clear her throat, and it made her cough again. “What about you? How do you feel?”

Philip swallowed visibly and sighed. “I feel like hell.” He croaked, and Theo nodded.

“We’re alive though.” She said and offered a strained smile, Philip looked at her and smiled back.

“Yeah.”

“How's your wrist?” Theo asked, glancing down. His wrist was caked in mud and blood, and she glanced down at her hand, which only had faint traces of Philip's blood on it.

“Hurts.” He mumbled looking down at his wrist himself and sniffling. Theo looked at him sympathetically for another moment, then shrugged off her backpack and pulled it in front of her. She opened it up and rummaged through the sopping contents. She pulled out her first aid kit and opened it up. 

“Can I see your wrist?” 

Philip stuck out his arm after a moment of hesitation and Theo took it gently. She took some gauze out of the kit and wet it with some rubbing alcohol. “This is gonna sting, okay?”

Philip nodded and bit his bottom lip. Theo wiped away the mud from the outside of the gash first, before getting some clean gauze, wetting it again, and wiping the wound gently. Philip hissed but didn't pull his hand away, and Theo apologized quickly. She repeated the process until it was mostly clean, then got a roll of bandages out of the tin box. The bleeding had slowed to a trickle, but Theo wrapped it tightly three times just to be safe. When she was done, Philip thanked her and offered a shaky smile. 

She pulled her water bottle out from her bag and took several large gulps before handing it to Philip. He took it willingly and drank some too. She zipped up her bag and slung it over shoulder again and stood up. Her knees wobbled and for a second she thought she was going to fall, but Philip stood and grasped her hand to steady her. 

They both looked back over their shoulder at the deep blue water, the rushing waterfall, and the cliff they had leaped from. Philip breathed in shakily and looked at her.

“What kind of dinosaur was that?”

Theo shook her head. “That wasn't a dinosaur.”

“That was a monster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kid who sits in front of me in History was talking about how they ruined the Jurassic Park franchise with Jurassic World and I leaned forward like "herd u was talkin shit"  
> and then he tried to convince me that my opinion was wrong and I was like honey????


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yay more sexual tension  
> Also for some reason it's saying I haven't updated since May 5th but that's not true??? If you haven't read chapter 5 go check that out cause it uploaded but the publication date was wrong so :/

“She's not picking up.” Aaron sighed, taking the phone away from his ear and looking down at it angrily. “She always picks up, Hamilton, something's wrong!” 

"Oh really? When did you figure that out? Was it when your murderous genetic hybrid killed two people and escaped? Or was it when it mercilessly slaughtered six ACU soldiers?" Alexander glared at him for a moment, before turning back to the road. The dark mud splattered against the side of the InGen owned Jeep as they raced down the jungle road.

"You're not helping." Aaron bit out, his leg bouncing anxiously. He did not need this right now, he felt bad enough. 

"I don't understand. Philip always follows the rules, he would have come in if the ride was closed."

"They're kids, Alexander, they're known for not following rules."

"They're _our_ kids, Aaron, they know better than this."

The car fell silent. The only sound was the sound of wheels on mud and the sound of blood thrumming in Aaron's ears. He'd called him _Aaron_. 

_'Our kids.'_

_'Good Lord, Aaron Burr, focus, your daughter is in danger.'_

After several tense seconds, Alexander cleared his throat, and when he spoke his voice sounded nervous almost. 

"I didn't mean like...you _and_ I, I just meant-"

"For the love of God, I knew what you meant." 

But there had been something there, something about how naturally Alexander said that sentence. As if Theo and Philip really were... _their_ kids.

_'YOUR DAUGHTER IS MISSING'_

"There! Look!" Aaron leaned forward over the dashboard and pointed. In the mud, faint but clear, was a wide track that looked like that of a  
Gyrosphere.

"No other sphere would be out this far. This had to be them." 

Alexander leaned into the backseat and grabbed his rifle. 

"Stay here." He muttered, his face grim as he opened the door and stepped out.

"Like hell." Aaron growled after a stunned second before opening the door and stepping out himself. Alexander was staring intently at the track in the ground, following it with his eyes. Aaron approached him, his eyes studying the track as well. Without warning, Alex took off into the forest, the rifle bouncing along on his back. 

Aaron took off after him, his dress shoes skidding and sinking in the dirt. He ran so fast that he hadn't even seen what had made Alex run so fast.

Next to the Gyrosphere track, sunken into the mud, was a huge foot print, muddy water pooling in the place where the toe met the claw.

When Alexander finally stopped running, he wished he hadn't even let Philip go out on his own that morning. He had stopped in a wide clearing, and if it weren't for the torn up dirt, the awful stench, and the limp, mangled Ankylosaurus carcass, he would have kept running. It's large head was torn up caked in blood, and it's neck was bent at an awkward angle. 

Alexander raised a hand to his mouth and looked away as Aaron came to stand beside him, his mouth agape. 

“What…”

“It didn't eat it.” Alexander muttered, shaking his head. “It's killing for sport.”

Aaron gagged as a bird tore a chunk of flesh from the Ankylosaurus’ leg with a wet rip. Aaron turned away from the horrific sight, and something across the clearing, to the left of the massive corpse, caught his eye. 

What was left of it looked like a Gyrosphere.

The thick glass had been shattered and was lying in the mud around the broken shell like fragments of ice. The screen in between the two seats was cracked and wires stuck out of the bottom, sparking. 

“Oh my God.” 

Aaron walked briskly but cautiously over to the dismantled sphere. Alexander followed, the realization of what must have happened hitting him at the same time. They both gave the Ankylosaurus a wide berth, as if it might jump up at them. They gave the broken sphere just as wide a berth, their eyes taking in the broken steel frame, the shattered glass, the sparks, the blood.

The _blood._

Alexander stared at it, the emotion rising and swelling into a tidal wave inside him. Flecks of dark red blood spattered the glass on the ground, half obscured by mud. 

_‘No.’_

No.

Alexander tore his eyes away, swallowing down the same fear and despair in his chest that had been there when he held Eliza's hand and watched as she slowly disintegrated. The same fear and despair that had built up in his chest as he curled up by his mother's side and squeezed her hand as she fought for breath. Turning his gaze upwards, he focused his gaze on something else.

Like the fang stuck in the steel girder, for instance. Alexander stared at it intently. It was long and curved, yellowed and darkened red at the sharp tip, and he knew instantly what had been here. He pulled a knife from his belt and wedged it in alongside the tooth. Placing his hand on the blunt end of the tooth, he pulled and jostled the knife at the same time. It popped out into his hand after a moment. He looked at it for another moment, turning it over in his hand, and then shoved it into his pocket.

He turned and found Aaron standing peculiarly still, looking down and holding something that Alexander couldn't see.

“Aaron?”

He held something up for Alexander to see and Alexander came up next to him for closer inspection. It was a phone, with a light blue case and white stripes. It was smeared with dirt and blood.

“Is...that Theo's?” 

Aaron nodded, his hand over his mouth. Aaron screwed his eyes shut and the tears fell silently and quickly down his face. Alexander felt his own break down forming and turned away to mourn by himself. 

His Philip. His son. The light of his life. 

How could he have let this happen?

_‘Eliza, I’m so sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't be the father you wanted me to be, I'm sorry I let this happen-’_

There were footprints in the mud. 

Two pairs of them.

Alexander followed them his eyes, and they disappeared into a field of tall grass. The tracks were smeared, as if they were running.

They had _run._

“Aaron. Aaron!”

Alexander whirled around and grabbed Aaron by the shoulder and shook him. Aaron looked up at him, tears streaking his face as his eyes blazed. Alexander pointed frantically at the muddy tracks, the flame of hope rekindling itself inside him. Aaron stared at them, wiping the tears away quickly with the back of his hand, his eyes brightening.

“They ran.” He whispered, scrambling to his feet, the mud staining the white fabric of his dress pants. He started to sprint after the tracks, and Alexander followed close behind. They slowed in the middle of the field, trying to pick up the tracks again. Some of the thick grass was broken and every once in awhile there was huge duvet in the grass, where it had been crushed flat.

It was crushed into the same shape of the foot that had been next to the track of the Gyrosphere.

“This way, they went this way!”

They took off again, and this time they found the trail easily. They followed the path of bent grass and huge footprints until they came to the edge of a cliff. Looking down, Alexander saw a dizzying drop into dark blue churning water.

“Oh my God. They jumped.” He fathomed, trying to envision the scene of Philip and Theo leaping from the rock face and hitting the small lake below.

“Must be a persuasive kid, my Theo hates the water.”

Alexander almost pointed out that it probably didn't take much to get Theo to jump, seeing as they were being chased by a merciless killing machine, but he refrained. 

“Yeah, he gets it from his father.” He responded instead. 

“ _Theodosia_!” Aaron yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. It surprised Alexander so much, that he actually flinched and ducked. Aaron took a deep breath in to yell again, and Alexander rushed over and clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Shh!”

Aaron struggled furiously and shoved him away.

“I am not one of your damn raptors, Hamilton!”

“Listen to me, Burr!” Alexander hissed back and grabbed his wrist. Aaron tried to wrench away but Alexander tightened his grip. “Our kids are alive, but we will not be if you continue to scream like that!”

Aaron's eyes widened, and he looked around, as if realizing the danger they were in. “You can track them right? Pick up their scent, or track their footprints, something-”

“I was with the Navy not the Navajo, dammit!

“Well, what should we do?”

“You get back to the car and go back to control, tell them to evacuate. I'll go find Theo and Philip.”

“She's my fucking daughter, Hamilton, _we’ll_ find them.”

“Please, Burr, you'll last no more than two seconds in there. Less in that ridiculous suit.” 

Aaron scowled at him, and Alexander thought for sure he was either going to cuss him out or punch him, but he was not prepared for what happened next.

Aaron started _stripping._

Maintaining eye contact and scowling at this the entire time, Aaron brought up his hands and started unbuttoning each button. Alex watched, slightly entranced as Aaron's fingers flew smoothly down the dress shirt and as he tore it off to-

Fuck.

_Fuck._

He was hot.

Alex wasn't even paying attention to Aaron as he wrapped the dress shirt around his waist and tightened it. Instead, he was studying his perfectly toned biceps and his neck and his collarbone and the way the sun glinted off the sweat lining the jutting bone and the way his chiseled muscles shifted under the dark skin. 

_Shit._

God, he wanted to kiss him so bad. The thought didn't surprise him, but he was surprised at how much he wanted it. It would be so easy, to just lean forward and press their lips together. It was so easy to imagine their mouths coming together that Alexander almost did it, but Alex blinked and pulled himself together again.

Aaron folded his arms in front of his chest and stared him down. Alexander realized he was supposed to say something and swallowed thickly.

“Wh-what is that supposed to mean.” Alexander cleared his traitorous throat. 

“It means,” Aaron stepped in closer, and Alexander stiffened and forced himself to look away. “I'm coming with you.”

“Yeah. Okay.” He cleared his throat again and Aaron looked at him strangely. “L-let's go then.”

 

Theo’s legs and arms were burning and itching from where she had been bitten by countless mosquitoes. They were both exhausted and sweaty and dirty, and Philip could desperately use an ice cream cone right about now. They were heading south - if Theo's assumption of moss growing on the north side of trees was correct - back to the park. 

Theo was trying to distract herself by rambling on and on about genetic modification, and she knew it wasn't helping either of them much but it made her feel a little better.

“-and back in the original Jurassic Park they would just fill the gaps in the DNA strand with DNA from frogs or other amphibians, but now they know how to use other animals to help adapt the dinosaurs to a different environment or make them look-”

“Isn't that, like, false advertising, or something?” Philip turned and looked at her, surprising Theo. She hadn't thought he'd been really listening, she was just speaking because it gave her something to focus on.

“Not really, I mean they're still dinosaurs.”

“I wonder if they looked really different back then. Before the asteroid I mean, before the genetic modification.”

“They most likely did.” Theo responded, shrugging as she stepped up and over a log in the middle of the path. “But we gotta make due with what we have you know?”

She tripped over a rock in the path and stumbled straight into Philip's back.

“Sorry, I-”

But Philip wasn't listening to her. He was standing unusually still in the middle of the path. She stepped and looked at him and followed his gaze.

Up ahead was a huge tree as wide as the two of them were tall. Against the side of the tree was a golf cart used for maintenance around the park and Theo felt her hopes soar. Her hopes dropped however, as they got closer, they saw that the vehicle was absolutely wrecked. The steering wheel had been ripped out, and was lying in the bushes I little ways away, the side of it was crushed against the bark, and the seat was all torn up. Flecks of red dotted the fabric inside the rips, and Philip bent down to pick something up that was lying near the wheel.

It was a blue construction workers helmet, with the top ripped open by what looked like a claw and rimmed with dried, dark, cakey blood. Philip dropped it with shaking hands and backed away. 

“We have to get out of here. It's close by.”

Theo started to back away too, but something dawned on her that made her relax slightly. 

“Philip, look. The blood’s dried and brown, that means it's been an hour since this happened.” He looked at her strangely, and she explained. “I don't think something like that would hang around here for an hour.”

Philip's shoulders sagged a little and he sighed, relieved. “But what if we're following it? Or what if it is really close by?”

“Well, what if it's not?” 

They looked at each other for a moment and Theo stuck out her hand. After a moment, Philip took it, and they started walking again, past the bloodied cart and helmet.

 

“It hid from thermal technology. How could it do that?”

“Seabury told me that tree frogs could alter their infrared output. He said their genes were added to help it withstand a tropical climate, but he never meant for it to be able to do that.”

“And the camouflaging? What was his excuse for that?”

Aaron glanced at him over his shoulder tiredly, and Hamilton shrugged innocently.

“He told me cuttlefish genes were added to help her withstand a tough infancy. Cuttlefish have chromatophores that help-”

“It blend into its habitat.” Hamilton shook his head. “Of course. Who authorized him to do that?”

Aaron's eyes dropped to the ground, remembering the conversation between him and Sam in the lab.

_“You did.”_

“I did.”

_“Scarier. Bigger. Ah, cooler, I think was what you used in your memo, sir.” Sam laughed half heartedly and shook his head. Aaron put his head in his hands and sighed._

_“Aaron, we have always filled gaps in DNA strands with the genomes of other animals. Why now is it a shock to you, you knew what we were doing here!”_

_“You’ve gone too far this time.” Aaron stood from Sam’s desk and crossed his arms across his chest. “This thing has killed people, Sam.”_

_“And I am sorry for that.” Sam responded, looking away, genuinely upset._

_“How long have you been using other animals to fill the gaps? Other than amphibian DNA, I mean.” Aaron asked after a moment of silence. Sam looked at him, the sadness quickly replaced with anger._

_“Your parents first authorized me to experiment with genetic modification, Aaron. If we didn't use other DNA to fill the gaps, much of these dinosaurs would look very different, but you did not ask for real, you asked for more teeth!”_

_“I did not ask for a monster!” Aaron snapped and yelled back, and Sam actually laughed after a moment._

_“ ‘Monster’ is a relative term, Aaron. To a canary, a cat is a monster. I guess you're just used to being the cat.”_

“Why would you authorize him to do something like that?” 

Aaron shook his head, and Alexander could tell he didn't really want to talk about this. 

“Attendance was down. When Seabury suggested a genetically modified asset, I panicked and pounced on the opportunity.”

“For more money.” 

Aaron turned and scowled at him. “To keep the park open.”

“No, I get it. I know about the whole Burr legacy. Rich family, high expectations.” Alexander knew he was going to get a busted lip for pushing Aaron this far, but the words wouldn't stop coming. “I saw the way your Uncle looked at you. I can't really blame him.” 

_‘Oh my God, Alexander Hamilton shut the hell up for once.’_

“Shut the fuck up, Hamilton, for the love of God.” Aaron snarled after a surprised second, and he actually looked a little hurt.

“All I'm saying is that if something happens to our kids, is Indominus really the one to blame?”

Silence. 

The birds tweeted high above in the trees as Aaron stared at him, surprised and entirely hurt. Alexander was mentally kicking himself because he knew he'd gone too far. He always had to push people to their limit, he always had to be the asshole in the friend group. He never meant to but his mouth seemingly had a mind of its own. 

“Is it your goal in life to get everyone you know to hate you?” Aaron tilted his head to the side, his voice surprisingly passive.

Alexander's eyes flicked away from Aaron's and down to the ground. “I'm sorry, that was-”

“No, really. You meant what you said, didn't you?” Aaron was approaching him now, angry eyes scanning him up and down.

“No, I-I didn't mean to-”

“I know I’ve done a shit job as a father, but I don't need your sorry ass pointing it out for me. And in case you've forgotten, I’m in charge of one of the biggest tourist spots in the world,” His voice turned cold and harsh. “while also trying to singlehandedly raise my daughter. Do you know how much it hurts to leave Theo alone very morning? How much I beat myself up at night because I know she's going to turn out just like me, without a father?” 

“Aaron, I-”

“No, shut the hell up and let me _speak_.” Aaron shoved him back roughly, and he stumbled backwards, his back hitting the tree behind him. 

“Do you know how hard I have to work to get even the slightest bit of recognition? You have no idea what it's like to have their _life’s work_ resting on your shoulders! My parents _died_ for this park! My father was never there for me as a child, and when he died he left me to be in charge of his work. Never once, in this hell that I’m living in, have I ever heard anyone say that they were proud-” 

“Oh please, you think you have it so bad?” Alexander pushed himself off the tree and shoved Aaron away from him. “You know nothing about struggle, because you were born privileged as a Burr!”

“Yeah, sure, I’m a Burr! I'm the Burr that fucked up and allowed a genetically modified monster to run loose and kill several innocent people!” Aaron grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and shoved him back against the tree, and Alexander fell silent. “I'm the Burr that _ruined_ the family name by simply trying my hardest and doing what I thought was right.”

His voice broke and he ducked his head down quickly against Alexander's chest to hide his emotions. Alexander let him have that, let him have a moment to hide whatever was going on in his brain. Hesitantly, Alexander raised his shaking hands and placed them gently onto Aaron's back. Aaron's hands relaxed slightly on the collar of Alexander's shirt, and he shifted against him. 

Alexander swallowed thickly and lifted one hand slowly to cup it under Aaron's chin. Aaron looked up at him, eyes tearful and unsure. Alexander watched as Aaron's eyes dropped to his mouth. 

Before he knew what he was doing, Alexander had pressed his lips to Aaron's and closed his eyes. He was expecting some resistance, maybe Aaron to hit him, but he was not expecting Aaron to close his eyes and lean into it. It was hesitant at first, their lips just barely touching, but then Aaron was pressing in closer, crowding Alexander against the rough bark of the tree. Alexander’s hands moved from his back to his hips, as their kisses turned more aggressive, angry, and biting.

His head was swimming, his heart pounding in his chest as he took things a step further and bit down on Aaron's lower lip. Aaron groaned and Alexander let out a soft noise when his hands slipped underneath his shirt. The muscles of his stomach jumped as Aaron's fingers ghosted over them. Aaron shifted in closer, trapping Alexander tight against the tree, the rifle strap slipping from his shoulder to the crook of his elbow. He pulled his hand away from Aaron's hip to drop the rifle carelessly onto the ground, where it landed with a thud.

He wrapped his arm around Aaron's shoulder and dragged his tongue across the seam of his lips. Aaron groaned again, and Alexander shivered at the delicious noise. Aaron finally opened his mouth, and Alexander immediately took the opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth. Alexander knew they should be looking for their kids, that something bad was probably happening right now, but with Aaron's mouth moving so nicely against his own, he was helpless. They both groaned when their tongues slid against each other, and Alexander unconsciously dug his nails into the flesh of Aaron's shoulder. 

Alexander had no idea of how much time passed, but he also found that he didn't care at all. He could kiss Aaron all day. He had lost himself in the sweet friction of their mouths coming together and the sound of their heavy breathing. Experimentally, Alexander snapped his hips forward into Aaron's, earning a choked noise from Aaron and a rather loud moan from himself. But then no, no, no, he'd gone too far and now Aaron was pulling away, and that was the last thing Alexander had wanted. 

_‘No, no, no, wait please, come back, I'm sorry, I'll go slower this time.’_

He reached his arms out to try and pull Aaron back, but the other man stepped away from him, his chest heaving. So Alexander stood back against the tree, disappointment flooding through him. He'd gone too far, too fast, and ruined the moment they had been having. Aaron had turned away from him with a hand over his mouth, so Alexander busied himself with straightening his shirt out and grabbing his rifle from off the ground. 

“I guess I should argue with you more often.” Alexander spoke up after a moment, his voice hoarse. Aaron turned and looked at him for a moment, and then smirked and shook his head.

“Fuck you, Alexander.” He spat at him, but his voice was fond. Alexander smiled in response.

“No, I think I'll let you do it instead.”

Aaron laughed then, adoring and loud and genuine. Aaron started to walk away, still shaking his head and smiling.

“And for what it’s worth, Aaron,” Alexander reached out to grab his arm. “If what you said was true, about Theo turning out like you? I think your parents would be really proud.”

Aaron stared at him for a long time, and Alex hadn't even noticed that his hand had moved downward to take Aaron's. 

“Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters might be a little late from now on cause it's the end of the year for me and it's finals season and I'm just super busy but I'm writing as much as I can 
> 
> Thank you for all the continuos love and support!!! :') <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah okay so this one is shorter than the others and ends kinda offputingly but only because I am strategically ending these chapters for dramatic effect so certain scenes need to be in certain places so you know
> 
> And as always thanks for all the support I love each and every fucking one of you so much aaaa :') <333

For roughly twenty-two years the visitation center of the original Jurassic had been left to rot, completely untouched by man. Everything in it from the research lab, to the Burr offices, to the skeletal remains of a huge T-Rex - which had probably once been posing tall and proud but what was now littered around the wide lobby - was overgrown with all kinds of vegetation and dust. 

Vines and moss wrapped around and encrusted the once beautiful, spotless white marble staircase. The floor - which had also once been clean and smooth - was now cracked all over and caked in layers of dust, overrun with tall grass and mud. Sunlight struggled weakly through glass blurred by dust, sunlight that had once sparkled through crystal clear glass and made the marble floors and stairs shimmer. Water dripped steadily from a crack in the high, cone shaped ceiling, and the entire room felt much more humid and dense than the outside world. 

The entrance doors - which were sealed shut by years of moss and mold and vegetation - still had the same pattern on them. It was eroded and covered in grime, but you could still make out what it must have looked like back in it’s glory days. The glory days that hadn't quite been. The glory days that consisted of children running excitedly into the theatre, of old couples taking pictures beside the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, of young teenagers gaping at Apatosaurs and Stegosauruses. 

But now, the visitors center was a ghost town. An empty shell of what it could have been. The beautiful park that never was. A future that never happened. A story that never unfolded itself.

The doors hadn't been opened in twenty-two years.

That is until Theo and Philip stumbled up to the steps in the blazing heat of the afternoon. The wet moss plastered on the slippery steps squelched underneath Theo’s converse as she mounted them slowly, staring quizzically at the door. Philip reached out and gingerly brushed his fingers over the handle, an egg-like shape split in half by the place where the doors met. Ivy crawled all over the door, like ropy, sinewy veins. 

“What is this place?” Philip asked, taking his hand away and wiped the moisture his hand on his shorts. 

“It's the visitor center from the original Jurassic Park.” She murmured and reached out to touch it like Philip had just done. After a moment of consideration, she grabbed the handle with both hands, and tugged. Her hands slid over the smooth surface and she stumbled back a little bit, but grabbed it again and pulled. The door budged just a little. “Help me open this.”

Philip hesitated for a second, then grabbed the handle with Theo and pulled. The vines strained against the pull and some snapped, and after some effort, the doors opened enough for Philip to squirm in between them and push one open all the way. Vines snapped and leaves shook, the door scraping up moss as it scratched over the stairs, and soon they had both doors open all the way. Theo stepped in and looked around. 

It smelled like dust and rotting vegetation, like the smell of a jack-o-lantern after it's been sitting out way too past Halloween. A couple birds flew up and out of the wide room through a hole in the glass ceiling above. Theo looked up at the arched ceiling and gaped. 

“Wow. It's been here all this time?” Philip let out a low whistle as he came to step beside her, placing his hands on his hips. “Why didn't they tear it down?”

“I don't think my dad wanted to.” Theo said blankly. “My grandparents built this park.”

Philip looked at her, surprised. “I didn't know it was a family run park.” Then, following her as they walked deeper into the center, “Are you going to run it one day?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “I don't know. My dad and I never really talked about it. I want to be a doctor though.”

Philip was about to respond when his foot touched something that squealed and scampered over his foot, its tail grazing his leg. He yelled alarmed and stumbled, slipped on the slime ridden floor and fell backwards. The rat scampered away and into the ferns on Philip's left. 

Theo started laughing, half out of relief and half out of pure amusement at the fact that Philip was peeling his arm away from the sticky, mossy floor. Something papery came along with it, sticking to his forearm like a leach. He peeled it away with a hesitant, embarrassed hand, but stopped. 

“Woah. What is this?”

Theo stepped closer to inspect it as Philip stood. It looked like a poster, all decayed and brown and rotten. Theo could just barely make out the words.

_-N DINOSAURS RULED-_

“It looks like an old banner or something.” Theo reached out to graze her fingers over the surface, and when she pulled them away, they had dirt on them. Philip looked around suddenly, almost as if he had heard something she hadn't - which was an alarming thought by itself. Philip stepped away and grabbed something jutting out from the moss and grass. He gave it a heave and it ripped free, making Theo flinch back as dirt was sent flying. 

It was a bone. A long, thick dinosaur bone, widened and flat at one end, dirty with soil and bugs. It was just as long as Philip's arm, and he looked between the banner and the bone before turning back to her.

“Do you have any matches?”

Theo looked at him, confused, but nodded. Pulling her still damp backpack off her shoulders, she slid open the zipper and rummaged inside. She grabbed the box of matches in their waterproof case and handed them to Philip. He was caught up wrapping the decaying banner around the wide end of the bone. It stuck on surprisingly easy, but Theo was doubtful over whether or not it would light.

“I don't think it'll light. It might be too wet.” She voiced her worries as he took the box from her and opened it up. 

“It's better than walking around in the dark.” Once he had a match in his hand he looked around, unsure of how he should light it. Theo grabbed a chunk of rock from the ground that was mostly dry and held it out to him. He struck the match against the smooth side of the rock, and it lit easily, the bright little flame flickering with all its might. He held it against the banner, but it wouldn't light.

He tried again, turning the match and trying different places, but it fizzled and went out. He muttered something and grabbed another match from the case, before striking it irritably against the rock. Another flame burst into existence, and he held it against a new place on the banner this time. The flame caught on, very slightly at first, just a little flicker on the corner of the paper, but then it was spreading promisingly. Soon the banner was cloaked in flame, and Philip blew out the match and held up the makeshift torch triumphantly.

“I stand corrected.” Theo rolled her eyes at his cocky grin, but smiled all the same. Philip held the torch in front of him as they walked over to one side of the cryptic looking lobby. There was a mural on the wall, and as they got closer Theo realized it was a painting of a velociraptor. The pint was cracked and peeling in some places, but they could still make out the long outline of its snout and the reptilian slit in its eyes. 

She brushed her hand over the image, clearing away layers of dust and showing off the pebbly details of the painted raptors skin. She imagined a little girl here, like herself maybe a bit older, doing the same with her own hand, staring with wonder at the mural on the wall.

But that had never happened. 

Because Jurassic Park hadn't even risen before it had fallen. 

“Hey! Come look at this!” Philip had walked ahead of her while she had been thinking, and now he was calling to her from a little ways down the wall. She caught up with him eagerly, not wanting to be alone in such a dead and deserted place like this. He was standing near a door in the wall - a door with cloudy, cracked glass - that he had propped open with his foot. He stepped inside, holding the torch forward defensively for better lighting. Theo reached out and caught the door before it closed, and propped it open with a rock - in case they needed to run. 

She peered cautiously inside the darkened room alongside Philip. The light from the torch had fallen across something slightly curved and smooth. Philip adjusted his grip on the torch and stepped deeper inside, the light moving away before Theo could understand what the shape was. Seconds of silence passed and Theo felt her worry growing.

“Philip?”

There was sudden, brief grating sound, like metal sliding on cement, and Theo was slightly ashamed at the yelp she made. She stepped in further to investigate the noise, her pulse making a quick beat in her chest. There was a grunt, and then another grating sound, longer this time, and light flooded across the cement floor. She squinted, and now she could make out the form of Philip, struggling to slide something upwards with one hand.

She dove in to help him - and realized the thing was a metal garage door. Together, they were able to pull it open, first using the handle at the bottom, then putting the hands on the bottom of it when the handle became out of reach. Sunlight and fresh air flooded into the space, chasing away the scent of dust and old dirt and exposing dust mites floating in the air. Turning around, Theo finally saw what the shape had been.

It had been a car.

Two cars actually, caked in dust and grime and cobwebs, but still two _cars_.

“1992 Jeep Wrangler.” Philip said under his breath before walking over and wiping a hand over the hood and in turn wiping it on his shorts when it became caked in dust. “We can use these to get out of here!” He turned to her and smiled.

Theo started to smile, but then it fell. “These things are over twenty years old, there's no way we could get one to start. And even if we did, neither of us know how to drive.”

Philip shrugged and turned back to the Jeep, thinking. “My uncle Hercules taught me how to jumpstart a car on my birthday one year. He lets me ride his motorcycle sometimes.”

“You know how to drive?”

“More or less.”

Theo looked out into the jungle and noticed a patch cut through the grass. “That road has to lead back to the park….I guess it's worth a shot.” 

“Cool, you get behind the wheel, I'll see if there are any cables around here.”

 

 

“Every time this thing kills, it moves south. How does it know where to go?” 

“It can sense thermal radiation.” Peggy responded, her face solemn. “Our emergency measures just put everyone in one place.”

Up on the big screen it showed how many people were in the park. They had closed down everything in the north, near Indominus’ path, making everyone evacuate to the south side. 

“My God.” Edwards sighed, noticing it at the same as John. “We've only screwed ourselves over.”

“She's coming straight for the park.” John whispered, his hand rubbing over his mouth.

“Sir, you can't-”

“InGen. Charles Lee.” Lee held up his badge defensively to the guard as the three of them turned to look at him. John swore loudly and rubbed a hand over his eyes.

“I know who you are.” Edwards looked him up and down and folded his arms over his chest. 

“Then you know why I'm here. I've been working on a training application for the raptors. They can hunt and kill that creature.” Lee pointed up at the screen, and John shook his head at Peggy behind Edwards’ back. 

“Your program was only to test their intelligence.” Edwards looked at him dubiously, his eyes scanning him up and down.

“Yes, it was. And we did. And along the way, we discovered something. They can follow orders.”

“Yeah, they can follow orders for _food_.” John snorted and Lee glared at him, but Edwards held up a hand to stop John from speaking.

“Let me make one thing clear, there will be no raptors set loose on this island. We have enough trouble with one asset loose, we-”

“Shit, you're out of your mind!” Lee laughed, “You've got 20,000 people on this island, what are you going to do? Where are they going to go?”

Edwards was silent.

“That thing is a killing machine, and it will not stop. This is the best chance you have.”

Edwards inhaled deeply, his eyes rolling back in his head as he thought, and then he sighed. “I intend to personally look into your project. Only to determine its viability within the moral principles of this company.”

“Yes, sir.” Lee smiled triumphantly, and John exhaled slowly. “What's your first move?”

“John, get that M1-34 that Hamilton was talking about on a helicopter and track that asset down. Lee, do what you need to do to get those raptors ready.” 

Lee sent John a cocky grin and took his phone from his belt, stepping away to call someone. John flipped him off behind his back and turned around to get ACU on the line.

“And-...” Edwards spun in a circle, features sharp with irritation. “Where the hell is my damn nephew!”

“He went out to get his daughter from the valley, sir.” Peggy looked up at him and he cursed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Son of a...fine, _fine_ , I’ll do it myself. John get that chopper ready!”

“Yes, sir.”

"Uh, hold on, sir-" Peggy stood as Edwards started to leave. "Wait, sir, I can't get a hold of your instructor!"

"Leave the poor bastard. He's probably caught up in the evacuation."

"But-"

"Miss Schuyler, _I_ will fly the chopper. Just find Aaron and tell him to get his ass back here." He shooed Peggy away and pressed the button for the elevator angrily. "I'll be damned to hell if I have to clean up _his_ mess."

 

“-Alexander, I swear to God, if you make another sex joke-”

“What, you'll spank me?”

Aaron whipped around to glare at him, and Alexander smirked uncontrollably. He placed a hand on Aaron's hip and trailed it down slowly. Aaron grabbed his wrist and glared at him. 

“You are insufferable.” 

Alexander smirked and leaned up to kiss him. Their lips brushed but then Aaron was pulling away suddenly and looking around.

“Do you hear that?”

“What-”

“Shh!”

Alexander went quiet obediently, and then he heard it. Distant and faint, but the hum of the engine was still distinguishable. Then there was the unmistakeable sound as it drove away, growing even fainter. Aaron looked at him as they seemed to think the same thing. Aaron took off at the same time as him, and together they ran off after the noise of the engine. 

Aaron stopped suddenly, making Alex stumble right into his back. He looked up and found Aaron staring at the paths in the ground, the grass around it still quivering from where a car had passed through it. Alexander looked over to his left, where the tracks originated from. There was a little garage nestled into the foliage, the metal door still not fully open. He grabbed Aaron's hand and dragged him over to it. Inside the garage was an old Jeep Wrangler, covered in dust and cobwebs. 

Next to it was a bare spot on the floor, like another car had been there before someone had driven it away.

“Is this Philip’s?”

Alexander turned and grabbed the gray hoodie from Aaron's hands. It was stained with mud and what Alexander hoped wasn't blood, but it was his son’s. He nodded frantically. Aaron looked out at the beaten path the other Jeep must've taken. 

“That road goes straight back to the park. They're safe then.” Aaron sighed out of relief as Alex propped his rifle against the car and looked around.

“How the hell did they even get one of these to start?” He wiped a hand over the hood and coughed as dust flew up around him. He walked over to a shelf against one wall and picked up two jump start cables that were laying on the table. He looked at them and then turned back to the Jeep, an idea forming in his head. He was about to pop the hood when there was a thump from outside, and the sound of snapping branches. A little dust fell from the boards above them, and the two shared a fearful glance. 

When another thump came again, Alexander reached out and grabbed Aaron's wrist to pull him away from the entrance. He pulled Aaron behind him and behind the Jeep, farthest away from the entrance. He put a finger over his lips to tell him to be quiet as they ducked down below the headlights. He leaned around the edge and watched the entrance for a moment, wondering if he had time to grab his rifle.

He didn't have time before that all too familiar white clawed foot slammed down onto the pavement of the garage floor. He jerked back behind the Jeep and grabbed Aaron's hand, hoping he understood his look and wouldn't move. Indominus growled, and it made Alexander's breath stop in his throat. Aaron ducked his head to Alexander's shoulder as a tear rolled down his cheek. Alexander almost moved to wipe it, but then he could feel Indominus’ breath wash over the two of them and he felt the presence at his back.

The Jeep rocked a little as her snout pressed up against it, and she sniffed rapidly, like a dog would. She growled again, menacing and low and Alex knew she could tell where they were. Time seemed to crawl by as the death stench came in waves, and Aaron squeezed Alex's hand. Alex clenched his teeth, angry at this fucking _bitch_ of a dinosaur for chasing and trying to kill their kids, for even _existing_ and making Aaron blame himself for the deaths of those people. They'd come too far to be killed right now.

_‘Not fucking today, you damn bitch.”_

The scent of blood was gone as soon as it had come, and the Jeep was dropped to the floor with a soft, metallic clang. Indominus growled again, but this time it grew into a full on roar, making Aaron flinch against Alexander's body. They stayed silent and still and pressed together for a few moments as Indominus stomped off, and Alex allowed himself to sigh out of relief. Aaron relaxed against his body, letting out a slow, shaky breath. Alexander brought Aaron's hand up to his lips and kissed it soothingly, and he smiled when he felt Aaron's lips on his neck, kissing him in response. 

Their relief was short lived though, as there was the overwhelmingly loud sound of crushing metal and wood, and dust flew up all around them. Sunlight poured through the him sheen of dust in the air and into the garage, but it was gone as soon as it came as Indominus thrust her head in and screeched angrily.

“Go, run!” Alexander screamed and pushed Aaron to his feet. He reached around to grab his rifle and briefly caught a glimpse of the white snout before he whipped around and ran after Aaron. No less than a second after Alexander had darted through the doorway that led into the lobby did Indominus use her snout to throw the Jeep forward against the wall, right where Alexander's body would've been if he hadn't run. 

Alexander jumped nimbly over a bone that was sticking up in his path, and if he had stopped to look closer, he would have realized it was a T-Rex skull. Aaron waved him over frantically from the open doorway, and Alexander grabbed his hand to drag him out once he got there. 

Indominus crashed through the lobby only about three seconds after they had sprinted out the door, rearing her huge head and roaring furiously at the loss of her prey. Just then a helicopter flew by overhead, casting its shadow over the old park. Indominus looked up curiously, cocking her head like a bird and swishing her tail. 

Was the helicopter prey? Could she possibly kill it? Fascinated by the new possibility of another kill, she turned to retreat the way she had come, hoping to follow the helicopter and snag it from the air. Surely since she had killed everything else, this would be a simple task.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH ITS LATE IM SORRY  
> y'all I had two finals on thursday, one on Friday, my VERY LAST one today (pray for me), AND tonight was honors night   
> Ughhhhh  
> But to be honest it's the last week of school so thank fuck
> 
> ((I reallyyyy wanted to give the girl I'm crushing on a rose at honors night tonight cause my dad got me roses but I'm a coward  
> so I didn't
> 
> oops))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was getting some Alfred Hitchcock vibes while writing this one, not gonna lie

The forest passed by in a green blur as Aaron and Alexander ran, unable to hear the whirring of the helicopter above them over their heavy breathing and the sound of blood rushing through their ears. Aaron managed to wrestle his phone from his pocket and speed dial the control room.

“John! We've located the Indominus, she's just between the aviary and the old park.”

“Wait, are you following Indominus?"

“Yes.” Alex reached back and grabbed his arm to pull him along, his eyes scanning the sky suspiciously. “Get ACU out here, real guns this time. No matter whatever the hell Edwards says. I want her _dead_ -”

“ACU is airborne! They took the chopper!”

Aaron forced himself to stop when he heard him, even though Alex was still tugging him along.

“Who's flying it?” 

The helicopter passed directly overhead, stirring up leaves and vines in a green whirlwind, and Aaron looked up, finally realizing what Alexander was looking at earlier.

 

Edwards lifted one hand from the cyclic stick of the chopper to readjust his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. “Did you boys serve in the armed forces?” He yelled over the thrumming of the helicopter blades.

The soldier nodded and looked over at him. “Afghanistan, sir!”

“And did you ever fly into battle, or is this his first time?” Edwards smirked and nodded to the kid in the back. The other soldier looked over his shoulder and smiled playfully at him. The younger man, in his mid-twenties, with a wife and a baby girl on the way, tried to smile. The helicopter jolted, and his smile dropped off his pale face, his hands flying to grip the edge of his seat.

“I got it, I got it.” Edwards spoke somewhat reassuringly, readjusting his grip on the cyclic stick and keeping the helicopter upright. Peggy's voice rang out through his headset;

“We have eyes on the target, south of the Aviary. Proceed and engage with the intent to kill.”

“Copy that.” The kid from the back responded in a shaky voice before moving gingerly over to the M1-34 they had bolted into the doorway. 

“Come on, look alive boys, look alive!” Edwards called deliberately to the kid in the back, and he smiled nervously at him. He certainly did not like being in the air like this. 

 

“You're telling me your uncle is flying that?” Alexander came to a stop at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a dense forest. Across the forest, several miles away, was a large glass dome that served as the park's Aviary. Alexander had to squint against the harsh glare radiating from the smooth surface of the dome. 

Aaron came a stop beside him, and Alex reached out a hand instinctively when he got precariously close to the edge. “That's what John said.” Aaron huffed, following the flight of the blue InGen helicopter with his eyes. 

“Couldn't they get anyone else to fly it?”

“Please, you try telling that man what he should and shouldn't do.”

Alexander was going to respond but then an all too familiar screeching roar cut through the air, making both of them flinch and dozens of birds take off into the air, alarmed.

Aaron breathed out slowly.

“Oh no.”

 

 

“10 o'clock, sir! By the birdcage!”

Edwards spared a glance downward towards the trees below, and caught a fleeting glimpse of white pebbly skin and a long rectangular snout. Soon he was practically unable to hear or see anything once the soldier started shooting at the dinosaur below, and bluish-gray smoke and debris exploded into the air. 

Indominus roared furiously as chunks of grass and soil flew up behind her, and bullets pricked her tail and hind legs. She picked up speed it seemed, and Edwards watched in horror as she ran straight through the glass wall of the aviary, shattering it and creating a ample hole in the dome.

A breach in the Aviary.

A breach in the birdcage.

They were not the kind of birds you want to be set loose.

 

“Oh no, no, no! Ah, shit!” John leaned back in his chair and put his face in his hands, just barely peeking out from between his fingers. Everyone watched in shock and pure horror as Indominus looked around curiously inside the Aviary as Dimorphodons and Pteranodons flew up into the air, alarmed. A blinking red symbol flashed strikingly in the corner of the screen. 

_Security Breach_

“Looks like the fox got in the henhouse.” Lee came over and put a hand on the back of his chair, leaning forward. John glared at him, holding back the urge to punch him. 

 

Inside the Aviary, a Dimorphodon hopped towards Indominus curiously, like a bird approaching a suspicious cat. Indominus roared at it, making it take to the air and squawk awkwardly. Indominus lunged forward and snapped its jaws only an inch away from the Dimorphodon. The presence of a new predator in its life scared the Dimorphodon into flight, and soon several of the other dinosaurs were taking to the air to escape from Indominus’ jaws. Indominus whirled around and snapped its jaws around empty air, trying to catch one of the many winged prey.

As the Indominus raced around the newfound territory inside the Aviary, several of the now freely roaming Pteranodons and Dimorphodons were flying upwards towards the helicopter. Edwards and the two soldiers noticed this, and all three started to panic. 

“Pull up, pull up! Up, up, _up_!” The young soldier from the back screamed, fear practically radiating off of him. Edwards pulled on the cyclic stick with all his might despite his shaking hands. Several of the flying dinosaurs flew determinedly towards the open doorway, and the soldier desperately tried to shoot them from the air, even though he knew it wouldn't help. 

The bulky body of a Pteranodon struck the side of the helicopter, shaking the entire aircraft and tilting it crazily, sending the unfortunate soldier tumbling from the cockpit with a terrified yell. The only thing keeping him from falling to his death was the strap of ammunition he was gripping onto. It was all very short lived though, as another Pteranodon swooped in and snatched him swiftly out of the air.

Edwards and the remaining soldier shared anxious, terrified glances before the saber-like beak of a Pteranodon pierced right through the window, spearing the other soldier straight through the chest, killing him instantly. The beak was retracted through the windshield as quickly as it had come, and the soldier’s head lolled backwards as dark blood spurted from the wound in his chest.

Edwards tore his sunglasses off and let out a shuddering breath, trying to ignore the limp body next to him and focus on keeping the helicopter upright. The helicopter was starting to smoke, the blades making an awful, labored whistling sound, and the whole aircraft started to spiral out of control. With each passing second the reflective glass dome of the Aviary was getting closer and closer, and for once in his life, he was afraid.

 

 

The whole world seemed to slow down.

Aaron watched, barely breathing, as the helicopter spiraled down towards the Aviary, smoking, dented, and broken. He briefly registered Alexander grabbing his arm and telling him not to look, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Even from where he was standing on the edge of the cliff, he could hear the whistling of the rotor blades and the metallic guttering cry of the engine. The helicopter gave one last motoring call amidst the smoke and then the blades came to a slow stop and the aircraft was plummeting towards the earth below. 

The tail snapped clean off the heavy metal body as the entire chopper crashed through the glass ceiling of the Aviary. It exploded in flames and smoke as soon as it hit the ground inside the dome, sending Indominus and countless other winged dinosaurs retreating. The deadly birds in the air above the dome watched this for a moment, then took off themselves. Aaron stood on the cliff, dismayed into still silence, but Alexander saw the dinosaurs coming their way and grabbed his arm. 

“Trees! To the trees, now!”

Aaron somehow found the motivation to move and finally look away from the place where Edwards had met his fiery end and the two of them were sprinting towards the trees. The air was filled with the sound of cries and screeches and caws from the birds above them as a Pteranodon dove swiftly after them, below the green canopy of leaves. It screeched at the two of them as Alexander pulled Aaron down to the ground with him. The Pteranodon kept flying, swooping down so close that Alex could feel the wind from its wings and the brush of leathery skin. It squawked and kept flying, not bothering to turn back to the pair on the ground.

Alexander kept a tight hold on Aaron even after the birds overheard started to fly away and his pulse started to slow. He pushed on Aaron's shoulder gently as he tried to sit up, and Aaron sat up slowly, his head ducked. Alex sat up after him and realized with a slight flush that Aaron was straddling him. Aaron sighed softly and leaned forward, letting his head thump against Alexander's shoulder.

“Aaron? Are you-”

_Oh._

The thought hit him like a speeding train, knocking the words straight from his mouth.

The helicopter. The crash. The call from John.

_“Please, you try telling that man what he should and shouldn't do.”_

Aaron's uncle in the front seat, piloting the craft. 

“Oh.” Alex set his rifle on the ground and wrapped his arms around Aaron's shoulders, pulling him in close. It was the only thing he could think to do at a time like this. “Oh, honey. God, I'm...I’m so sorry.”

“He was an old, stubborn asshole,” Aaron’s arms snaked around Alex's waist and tightened there. “But he raised me. Even if he despised kids, he took my sister and I in when our parents died. He could've split us up in the orphanage, but he didn't.”

“He was a good man.” Alex told him miserably after a moment, completely unsure of what to say. Aaron laughed weakly against his chest. 

“He wasn't good. He was decent, at best.”

Alex released his grip on Aaron's shoulders and slowly moved his hands to his face. He tilted his head up and their eyes met briefly before Alexander leaned in to connect their mouths. He almost felt Aaron's brow furrow as he leaned in, probably desperate for comfort. Alexander was completely willing to give it, whatever he needed. 

It wasn't long, but it didn't need to be to portray the emotion between them. Aaron pulled away after a few seconds and rested their foreheads together, his eyes going to the ground again.

“He made me who I am, Alexander. Everything I have, this park, my legacy, everything, it's because of him. I'd be nothing without him.” Aaron paused. “I am _nothing_ without him.”

“I know that's not true, Aaron, tell me you don't really believe that.”

Aaron just shook his head and started to get up. Alexander tried to grab his arm, but he pulled away, brushing the dirt from his pants and putting distance between them both. Alexander stared at him before grabbing his rifle and pushing himself off the ground. 

“We should go.” Aaron mumbled as Alex grabbed his hand. He brought his other hand up to rest on Aaron's cheekbone and turned his head towards him, but Aaron pulled away and started walking. Alexander stood still for a moment, then spoke up.

“I'll be here when you want to talk about it.”

Aaron stopped for a moment, looking like he was going to respond, but then just smiled sadly and stuck out his hand. Alex took it gladly and they started moving.

 

 

At the exact same time that was happening, Philip and Theo were in an entirely different situation.

Normally, Theo would be slightly concerned that a kid Philip's age knew how to drive so well, but considering the circumstances, she decided to just let it go and enjoy it. They were approaching an old rusted gate on a dirt road that cut through the plains, and instead of slowing down, Philip actually sped up, a mischievous smirk on his face. Theo squeezed her eyes shut as the front end of the Jeep crashed right through the feeble metal of the gate, and Theo actually laughed, out of relief and adrenaline and pure happiness. Philip's laughed along with her, grinning crazily and glancing over at her. The wind rushed past her as she sat back in the seat, relief and exhaustion flooding through her.

“Alright.” Philip sighed next to her, easing back into his seat. “We’re all good now.”

Theo thought she could fall asleep, and if it wasn't for what she glimpsed in the rear view mirror, she probably would have. At first she thought it was just a smudge, so she leaned up to wipe it away and clear her mind. But when she wiped away the dust, the smudge stayed. 

Then the smudge moved. 

And, oh _no_ , now there were dozens of smudges. Theo realized in horror that they were birds. Deadly, prehistoric, razor-toothed birds that were usually kept in the Aviary but now had somehow gotten out. Why couldn't they catch a break?

The bird-smudges cried and screeched and Theo realized in horror that they were closer than she thought. Philip heard it too and he looked briefly over his shoulder.

“Go.” Theo told him as she looked up and spotted the first of the flock, directly above them. “Go, go! Drive faster, go!”

Philip slammed on the gas and the car lurched forward, Theo smacking the dashboard frantically.

Two guards stood on the top of Gate 5, wearing gray security uniforms and holding large tranquilizing guns in their arms. Just along the horizon, on the thin dirt road cut into a vast green landscape, was a Jeep. It was old, one of the guards duly noted, looking from the 90’s maybe. The person in the driver's seat was honking like crazy, holding down the horn profusely. They were screaming too, yelling at the guards to open the gate and let them in, and after a moment of listening the guards realized there were two voices.

They shared a confused glance and one of them snorted: “That's a first.”

The other guard laughed softly and the two returned their gaze to the horizon, watching the Jeep approach at an unreasonable speed. As they watched, their eyes landed on the flock of scaly, large winged birds flying in the air behind the Jeep. They cawed and screeched and flapped their webbed wings in a strange, almost menacing gesture.

“Uh oh.” 

 

The heat was practically unbearable. 

A balding man in his late forties removed his hat to wipe the sweat beading on his forehead and receding hairline. A little ways away, a younger man was trying to calm down his small daughter who was complaining about the heat. Another woman was chatting noisily on her cell phone, talking to her friend or someone about the ridiculousness of half the park being closed. People were parked all over, on the steps of the visitors center, in the doorways of shops, and on the cement walkway. 

As one mother was reapplying sunscreen to her impudent child, the speakers in the park suddenly cut out, stopping the incessant spew of ads and park slogans that had been previously playing. There were a few seconds of strange silence - all though it was not very silent due to chatter of the crowd - and then a new, animatronic voice came over the loudspeaker.

_‘Ladies and gentlemen of Jurassic World, due to a containment anomaly, all guests must take shelter immediately. Ladies and gentlemen…'_

There was a dip and a moment of silence in the crowd, and then a few nervous chuckles at first, but then someone stood up and pointed. A child screamed. A blaring, chilling siren came over the loudspeaker as people started scrambling to their feet, screaming. 

The flock had reached the park.

Almost instantly, they started diving. As if they understood that they had the advantage, their movements were quick and self assured as they dove down and started to pick people off. Some chose to tackle their prey, others chose to grab them by their shirts or backpacks and drag them for a few feet before dropping them again. People were screaming and running, tripping over each other in their frenzied attempt to escape. Several of the flock flew straight through windows, bombarding guests at cafe tables or hotel rooms. One unlucky guest was lifted up into the air and then promptly dropped into the Mosasaurus aquarium, where they were picked off by the colossal prehistoric fish. 

Meanwhile, Aaron and Alexander had made it back to the park with the help of ACU, and Alexander was now in charge of a fourteen person ACU team under Aaron's permission. The team was armed with real, lethal ammunition this time, and they had the order to shoot with the intent to kill. Alexander was at the head of the group, and once they took their place near the west entrance of the park, he gave them the order to shoot. 

One by one, the Pteranodons and Dimorphodons started to drop like flies. Round after round brought another onslaught of death to the flying killers. Aaron spotted an overturned snow cone cart and mounted it quickly to look over the crowd. Please, God, let his daughter be here somewhere and safe. 

“Aaron, get down from there, you're going to get hit!” Alexander yelled, but Aaron didn't seem to hear him over the screams and gunfire. He swore quietly under his breath and returned his attention to the air. He aimed and fired. One, two, three different birds fell from the air. 

“Dad!” 

Alexander stopped and lowered his gun, he could've sworn he'd heard-

“Pops! Over here!”

Philip waved his hand over the Sea of running people, and Alex's jaw dropped. He was with another girl, shorter and darker, with Aaron's eyes.

“Woah, woah, hold your fi-”

A Dimorphodon swooped down and latched onto his shoulder, and suddenly the ground was rushing up to meet him and the rifle was gone from his hands. He stumbled and managed to fall onto his back, grabbing the Dimorphodon by its neck and trying to pry it off of him. It moved to his chest, his face and its snout only inches apart. It thrashed wildly against his grip, snapping its jaws ferociously around empty air in an attempt to bite him. 

His heart was pounding in fear as a little bit of drool dropped down onto his face and rolled off his cheek. It's claws were digging into his chest, and in a desperate attempt to push it off he placed his hand on its blocky snout and shoved. 

_Bad_ move.

The Dimorphodon twisted its head in one swift move and bit down savagely on his wrist. He yelped in burning pain and tried to wrench his arm away but it only tightened its jaws and its needle like teeth dug further into his flesh. Dark red blood welled up in its jaws and Alex closed his eyes tightly as his own blood dripped down onto his face. He felt the heat of the droplets almost burning his skin, mixed with the warm, slimy saliva of the animal above him. 

Aaron jumped off the cart and grabbed Alex's fallen rifle from the ground. In one swift movement, he slammed the butt of the gun into the side of the Dimorphodon’s square shaped head with all his might. It let go with a surprised yelp, like that of a dog, and tumbled off of Alex's chest. He watched slack-jawed in awe as Aaron fired five bullets into the animals pebbly skinned body, until it fell limp to the ground. 

Aaron slung the rifle over his shoulder, breathing heavy, and reached down to help Alex off the ground. His wrist was still throbbing painfully, but he hadn't felt so in love in that moment since he first met Eliza.

“Christ, are you alright? Fuck, we need to get you to-”

Alexander shut him up with a kiss.

Theo and Philip shared surprised glances with each other, unable to comprehend what was going on. 

“Is that your dad?"

“Yeah. Is that yours?"

“Yeah.”

Alexander pulled away quicker than he wanted to, realizing that his face was covered in his own blood and sweat and dinosaur saliva and he didn't want to gross Aaron out. They stared at each other for a moment, mouths opening and closing as they both grasped for words. Suddenly, Alexander remembered their kids. He turned and scanned the crowd again, and his eyes quickly found Philip and the girl that must have been   
Theodosia.

“It's them!” He patted Aaron's arm and pointed before taking off in their direction. Aaron followed suit and then Philip and Theo were running as well, and Alexander had never been this relieved in his life. 

“ _Philip!_ ”

“ _Theodosia!_ "

Tears pricked at the corner of both the men’s eyes and they pulled their children into their arms and hugged them, thanking whatever God existed that they were safe. Philip and Theo were a little confused as to why they had kissed, but they didn't quite care after everything they had been through that day.

“Are you okay?” Aaron pulled back, holding Theo at arm's length as he scanned her for injuries.

“Yeah, I’m-”

“Oh God, Theo sweetheart, I’m so sorry you had to go through this.” Words Theo didn't quite catch started pouring from his mouth. Philip's father was rambling too, Theo realized.

“Oh, Philip, your _arm_ , oh my God, what happened, are you okay?”

“Pops, are you okay-”

“Forget about me, Philip, my God, I can't believe you went through all that.”

“Uh, how do you two know each other?” Theo finally voiced her thoughts as Philip and her shared a confused glance. Their dads stared at her, glanced at each other, and then groped for an answer.

“We work together.” Aaron breathed finally, nodding to himself. Someone, somewhere screamed, making the four of them flinch. Alexander and Aaron stood pulling their children closer protectively.

“Alright come on, we have to go.”

 

 

“Timothy Edwards’ death was a tragedy.” 

Every technician in the control room turned to look. Charles Lee was standing by the elevator, ushering in people in black uniforms carrying boxes and computers. 

“Our top priority is to prevent further loss of life.” He said as the last of the people walked in. One guy set a box down on John's desk as if he wasn't even there. 

“Um, who are these guys?”

“Good question.” Lee made a point of addressing him, then didn't answer. “You are all relieved of duty.”

Instantly, the technicians stood and started gathering their things. John and Peggy were the only ones who remained sitting. 

“There are evacuation boats docking now, get over there and get out.”

“You know you're not in charge right?” John asked, watching the people he worked with exit in a rush. Lee turned on him.

“Edwards entrusted me with this operation, I’m in charge now.”

“Burr is in charge.” John told him after a second of disbelief. Lee chuckled and shook his head.

“Where the hell is he then? And that bastard Hamilton, too, where is he? If Burr was here, than I'd sure as hell let him lead. But he's not, he'll, he's probably already evacuated, the damn coward.”

John put his hand over his eyes.

“Someone has to lead this operation. And if Burr isn't going to do it, than I will.” With that he took his place in front of the screen and waved his hand. “Alright, let’s get going!”

 

“John, I’m on my way back right now.” Aaron turned and ushered Theo in front of him, before doing the same with Philip. They were on the outskirts of the park, where everything behind the scenes happened. 

“Yeah, I’m glad about that, but it's probably not the best idea. Your uncle assigned emergency ops to InGen’s security division. Charles Lee is in charge of it and he has this insane plan to use the velociraptors to hunt Indominus."

“What?” Aaron glanced at Alexander in front of him. “What do you mean ‘use the raptors’?” 

Alexander stopped walking in front of him, making Aaron and their kids bump into his back. “That son of a _bitch._ ” He breathed out slowly before turning to Aaron and shaking his head angrily. 

“Language.” Aaron warned, ready to ask what the hell John was talking about because it seemed like Alexander knew something. Before he could even open his mouth there was a thumping at the big large metal doors in front of them. They all turned, and the thumping came again, more forcefully this time, making the employees scatter quickly. 

“Take the kids.” Alexander grabbed Theo and Philip and pushed them behind Aaron. “Get them somewhere safe.”

“Not without you.” Aaron grabbed Alexander's shoulder and pulled him back as well, just as the metal lock on the gate snapped and the doors were thrown open. A crowd of screaming people came flooding in, and Aaron could still see some of the birds flying around the crowd.

“Car, get to the car!” Alexander whirled around and pushed Aaron back towards an abandoned Cruiser that was sitting in the middle of the pathway. Theo and Philip started running, thankfully followed soon by their fathers. Alexander got into the driver's seat as Aaron made sure both the kids were in before climbing into the passenger’s seat. 

Whoever had been in there last had left the keys in the vehicle, fortunate for them, and Alexander started the car up as soon as he was seated and put it in reverse. Soon they were backing up through the narrow alley just in front of the crowd of park guests. Alexander swerved suddenly making Aaron swear, but he was relieved to find that Alexander had parked the car in front of another gate that was no longer being used; practically a hole in the metal wall. 

“This doesn't feel really safe.” Philip said worriedly from the backseat. 

“We’re staying with you guys, right?” Theo asked, obviously scared.

“Of course.” Aaron and Alexander said in unison, turning to face their kids. 

“Pops, you’re bleeding.”

Alexander looked down at his wrist. Oh, right. Aaron inhaled deeply through his nose and looked away. 

“My dad doesn't do well with blood.” Theo stated simply, noting Alexander's concerned look. 

“Theo, you still have your first aid kit, right?” Aaron asked, still avoiding looking at Alexander's wrist.

“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” Theo pulled her backpack off her shoulders and unzipped it. Alexander gingerly extended his bloodied mangled wrist over the center console as Theo pulled out the same first aid kit she'd used to patch up Philip's wrist. She looked at his wrist and then at the metal box uncertainly. “Oh, dear. I've never really dealt with a bite like that before.”

“You've dealt with bites before?” 

“Theo goes down and helps out in the infirmary sometimes.” Aaron explained, attempting to look over at him but turning away just as quickly. “They mostly deal with heat stroke victims and other things like that, but there are the occasional bites from the kids who don't read the signs. But even then, those are just little bites, nothing more.”

“She fixed up my wrist pretty well.” Philip held up his wrist to show them, the bandage now brown win dried blood and dirt. 

“Huh.”

“I think you might need stitches. And God knows what kind of bacteria Dimorphodons have in their saliva or teeth.” Theo inspected his wrist thoughtfully, obviously much more comfortable with blood than her father. 

“Sweet Jesus.” Aaron groaned beside Alexander.

“I'll do what I can.” Theo took some bandages and the rubbing alcohol out. She looked at the needle for a moment, but her father decided against it.

“Theo, honey I don't think you should be doing stitches on his wrist.”

_‘Good God, she's only ten.’_

“Yeah, I guess I'll just wrap it for now.”

Aaron slumped downward in his seat, wishing he’d never agreed on genetic modification in the first place. God, all of this was his fault. Alexander grabbed his hand in his and squeezed it reassuringly. 

“We'll get through this.” 

_‘We have to get through this.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also just a little warning for the next chapter
> 
> y'all might not like me after that 
> 
> just throwing that out there


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AGH ITS FINALLY DONE FUCK
> 
> On June 22 2018, Jurassic World: The fallen Kingdom hits theatres in the US!!!!! I'm so pumped!! No idea what it'll be about but I'm v excited!!!
> 
> This chapter is log and there are parts that didn't turn out the way I'd hoped but idc we're going with it

It was dusk. The setting sun cast golden light over the dark blue water and sky and from somewhere, a loud roar cut across the landscape. In the velociraptor paddock, Charles Lee had completely taken over the operation. He'd hooked up night vision cameras on headbands for each raptor of the pack, and was know giving his men the order to suit up with lethal ammunition. 

Each raptor was penned up in their cages, with restrictive steel muzzles on their snouts. Lee came to stand in front of one and snapped his fingers, earning a provoked snarl. The raptor, Delta, locked eyes with him and struggled against her bonds.

“What's his name?” Lee turned to Hercules, who was leaning against the metal bars of the cage and staring at him with guarded eyes.

“Delta. And she's a girl.” 

“Pretty thing.” Lee nodded and looked back at her. She growled and he laughed. “Feisty too.”

“She looks at what she wants.” Hercules told him. Lee smiled

“Usually what she wants to eat.”

His smile dropped and he turned to Hercules, expecting him to say he was kidding. He rolled his eyes and smirked, but didn't say anything. Lee turned away from Delta, who was still tracking him with golden eyes, and instead focused on the gray Cruiser pulling up to the paddock.

“Stay in the car.” Aaron looked pointedly at Theo and Philip before getting out of the car after Alexander. The two of them didn't even bother to shut their doors. Lee came out of the Paddock and walked towards them, his arms held out in a welcoming gesture. 

“Well, look who finally showed-”

Aaron didn't even have time to say anything before Alexander had swung his arm back and cracked Lee a good one across the jaw. Lee stumbled back, his hand going to his jaw. In the Cruiser, Philip and Theo ‘oohed’ in unison.

“Get the _hell_ out of here.” Alexander hissed, his voice brimming with poorly hidden anger. “And stay away from my animals.”

“You wanted this to happen, you sick son of a bitch.” Aaron folded his arms across his chest and took his place next to Alexander.

“Aw Christ!” Lee straightened up, his hand rubbing his bruised jaw. “How many people have to die before this mission starts to make sense to you?”

“It's not a mission, Lee.” Hercules came to stand between the dynamic duo and Lee. “It's a field test.”

Alexander glared at him.

“There are people dying out there, Alexander. This is the best chance we have.” Hercules grabbed his arm when Alexander shook his head and turned away. “I know it's not what either of us want, but we have to think of the greater good here.” 

“Who even authorized you to do this?” Aaron looked between the two of them, more so at Lee.

“Edwards did. Your uncle gave me the permission to start up this operation, Burr. Too damn bad he died before he could see what his work did.” Lee glared at him and Aaron clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into the skin of his palms. 

“If you're not going to keep his work alive Burr, than I will.”

Alexander made as if to grab him but Aaron held him back and shook his head. He wasn't worth it. They weren't going to get anywhere by throwing punches. 

“Fine. Ugh, _fine_.” Alexander sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “But I’m in charge of the raptor unit. I'm the only one who knows how to handle these animals.”

“Fine by me.” Lee gave the two of them shared another well placed glare before turning away. Alexander turned and looked at Aaron for a moment, probably meaning to say something, but then turned away without a word.

 

“We know that she is in Sector 5.” Alexander pointed to the highlighted section on the island map. “This is a game we call hide in seek. It's a scent drill, we've done this a thousand times with these raptors. When they got on her trail, and they will - trust me - you must wait to engage.”

“But Charles said-”

“Lee doesn't know shit about these raptors. I raised these animals from birth, I know everything there is to know about them. They're pack hunters, they like to herd the animal into a kill zone. That's when we'll take our shot, and only then. We have one shot gentlemen, do not throw it away and do not shoot my raptors.” 

Aaron glanced at him and Alexander cleared his throat before continuing. “Please.”

 

“Easy, Blue.” Alexander knelt down in front of her and put a gentle hand on her snout. She snarled and struggled a little in her muzzle, and he shushed her, “Easy. You don't scare me.”

She exhaled violently, almost like a disgruntled sigh and Alexander nodded. “Yeah, I know. I don't like this either, but it’ll be okay.”

“Pops?”

Alexander stood and turned and found Philip and Theo leaning against the steel bars of the cage, looking worried. “Will they be safe?”

Alexander looked back at Blue for a moment before ultimately deciding to tell the truth. “No. No, they won't be safe.”

The two kids were morbidly silent for a moment, before Theo changed the topic. “What are their names?”

“Well,” Alexander put his hands on his hips and pointed down the row of the four raptors. “Well, there's Charlie in the front.”

A mottled greenish-gray raptor with dark brown stripes.

“That one is Echo.”

A dusty brown raptor with lighter flecks and angular eyes.

“Here is Delta,” 

A lighter green raptor with brown eyes and a scar on one shoulder. He reached out and pet the nearest raptor’s snout fondly, and she huffed in response. “And this last one is Blue.”

A grayish brown raptor with a blue pattern decorating her back and tail. 

“She's the beta.” Alexander said with pride evident in his grin and voice. Aaron had come by and was now standing behind the two kids, his arms folded. 

“Which one’s the alpha?” Theo looked between the four raptors and then back at Alexander.

“Well, you're looking at him.” 

Philip grinned proudly and Aaron shook his head, smiling fondly. As Alexander moved to open the gate, Aaron gently pulled the kids away from the fence.

“Alright, come on. Let's get you two somewhere safe.”

They ended up in a silver, company owned vet vehicle, that was parked on the outskirts of the paddock. Aaron pulled open the doors and the four of them stood apprehensively in front of the cleared out space. There were tazing sticks laying on hooks on one wall, a few first aid kits, a couple oxygen tanks, and another couple objects Philip couldn't identify. 

“See?” Aaron clasped his hands in front of him and turned to the two kids, smiling tightly. “Totally safe.” 

Alexander ushered them in and made them sit on the little coolers that were just underneath the window connecting the back to the front seat. After telling them to stay in here no matter what and to slide open the window if they needed anything, Aaron shut the metal doors and sighed.  
Alexander followed him to the front of the truck, where they stood awkwardly close for a moment.

“You'll be safe, won't you?” Aaron reached out and brushed their fingers together hesitantly. Alexander took his nervous hand in his and held it. 

“Of course. And you'll be safe too, right? Stay here unless you're told otherwise.”

“I know, I know.” Aaron exhaled again and looked down. They both looked and felt like hell, both covered in sweat and dirt and blood, and with torn clothes and bruised limbs. Someone, somewhere called all units to their vehicles, and Alexander looked up.

“I should go...make sure Philip is safe, alright?”

Aaron nodded. They stood in silence for another moment, before Alexander hiked the rifle further up on his shoulder and turned to go. Aaron grabbed his arm and tugged, feeling relieved when Alexander turned back eagerly. Soon enough, Aaron's hand was on the small of his back and Alexander's hand was on the back of his neck and they were kissing desperately. They stayed pressed together until they had to pull back to breathe, and even then they rested their heads together and held one another close. 

“If you die out there, I'll kill you.” Aaron joked bitterly, making Alexander snort.

“That would totally ruin the mood.” He joked right back. Humor. Humor would help with the pain of leaving. It always did.

“It would, so make sure you stay alive.”

“Hey, don't worry. I have a lot to come back for.” Alexander smiled and brushed a thumb over Aaron’s cheek. 

“Hamilton! If you're running this operation, you have to get a move on! We don't have all night!” A soldier’s voice jolted the two of them away from each other. Alexander turned and waved irritably at him before turning back to Aaron and looking at him. They locked eyes for a moment and then Alexander leaned in and kissed him gently one last time, lingering for a little longer than he should have. He couldn't help wondering if that would be the last time he felt those lips on his or saw those eyes. _Don't let this be the last time._

“I'll be back.” He told him and knocked their foreheads together again, before turning and jogging over to his motorcycle that was sitting on its kickstand. 

“You better come back, asshole.” Aaron muttered to himself as he watched Alexander mount the motorcycle.

The intern that had fallen over the balcony and into the paddock earlier that day now stood on the roof of the raptor cages, holding the button that could set them loose. Alexander had already gone by and let the raptors sniff the chunk of Indominus’ flesh that had the implant in it, so they could get on her trail. The intern raised the button like a weapon as Alexander revved his motorcycle, and then pressed it with vigor. 

The cage doors flew open and the raptors leaped out, calling to each other and charging into the forest with Alexander following close behind on his motorcycle. One by one, the emergency ops officers sped out after them.

The pack of velociraptors sped through the forest at around 47 miles per hour, Alexander could tell by the speedometer on his motorcycle. The only sound was the pounding of clawed feet, the heavy reptilian breathing of the raptors, and the guttural dirge of the motorcycle. The rest of the emergency ops were following a little ways behind so they didn't upset the raptors. The raptors bounded over fallen logs and weaved through bushes with surprising grace agility, making Alex feel awkward and clumsy on the motorcycle. They called to each other the entire time, talking amongst themselves and discussing in a secret language Alex wished he knew about.

 

Aaron heard the window to the back of the van slide open and Theo and Philip peered through at the tablet he had in his hands. The tablet was showing what the raptors were seeing in that green, eerie, night vision like detail. Part of him didn't want the two of them to watch this, but Philip was Alexander's son so he figured he had a right to be watching and worrying like Aaron.

“Hey, Dad?” Theo said after a minute. He nodded and made a noise of acknowledgement, making her continue. “Your new boyfriend’s a badass.”

Aaron smiled to himself. “Language, Theo darling.”

“Sorry.”

“He is kind of a badass, isn't he?” Aaron stated it as a fact after a moment of silence. 

“That's my dad.” Philip whispered, the unguarded pride in his voice making himself sound just like Alexander. 

 

One raptor signaled another with a short cry, and then they started to slow down. 

“They've got something.” Alexander leaned forward and spoke into his watch. The emergency ops slowed down with Alexander, and the raptors kept jogging for a second and then came to an abrupt stop. Soldiers silently but briefly clambered out of the trucks, with guns and ammunition strapped across their chest. Alexander parked his motorcycle in the bushes and signaled for them to take position behind a log, well hidden from the pack. 

Alexander dropped to his knees next to Hercules and took his rifle off of his shoulder, flicking on the red laser pointer. The troops fell deathly silent as the raptors sniffed the air and the surrounding brush. Back at the Paddock, Aaron decided to close the window in the truck so the kids couldn't see what was happening. They didn't need to see this. 

A branch snapped somewhere, and the raptors perked. More snapping branches, this time closer, and the soldiers shifted their guns anxiously. The branches and vines bent and swayed as Indominus stomped through the foliage. All of the guns were immediately trained on her head. One raptor screeched, and she looked at him quizzically. After a moment she roared, but it was softer than she had before, in a communicative way. 

“Something's wrong.” Hercules whispered to him as the raptors and Indominus started emitting a series of grunts and snarls. “They're communicating.”

“Son of a bitch.” Alexander whispered after a moment. Indominus raised her head suddenly, and she seemed to be looking right at him. “That thing is part raptor.”

Hercules swore, and one by one, the raptors turned and crouched, haunches locked and tails flicking menacingly. Aaron could see from the night vision camera that all of the raptors were looking directly at Alexander.

“Shit.” Aaron muttered.

“Shit.” Alex muttered.

In the control room, Lee had stopped pacing and grabbed a radio from John's desk. 

“What are you waiting for? Light it up!”

“Engage!” One soldier yelled when he got the message. Instantly, the sound of gunfire filled the jungle, scaring birds from the trees and causing the raptors to screech and scatter. Indominus roared and turned swiftly to retreat. One soldier launched a shoulder cannon after her and it hit with some sort of accuracy. The projectile exploded and struck the ground near her legs, making her fall about first to the ground, and soon the entire brush surrounding her was ablaze. She shook herself and got up again, roaring before retreating into the smoke shrouded glade. 

The soldiers spread apart into the forest after her, holding guns at the ready.

“Stay alert!” Alexander yelled. “The raptors are still nearby and they’ve got a new alpha!”

Branches snapped under their feet and as the soldiers moved slowly through the bushes, sweeping their guns low and wide. The night air smelled like smoke and gunpowder, and it was humid and muggy. Alexander wiped the back of his hand across his brow and sighed, his heart beating fast in his chest. The only sound was the breathing of the soldiers and the sound of the fire. Somewhere, a soldier coughed. 

The first attack came from the left.

It was so quick the soldier only got time to yelp before the raptor had toppled him over and bit into his face, it's claws digging up his chest. The other soldiers whirled around and the stillness was interrupted by gunfire, but the raptor had retreated as soon as it had come, leaving the soldier to bleed to death.

The second one came from behind. 

A branch snapped and the grass swayed, making the soldier turn apprehensively. He scanned the ground for any signs of movement and decided to fire a few rounds into the tall grass anyways. Nothing moved. He swept the barrel of the gun from side to side as another branch snapped, farther away this time. The raptor lunged out from the bushes behind him and clamped her jaws around his head, twisting sharply. He died instantly without seeing his attacker. 

One by one, soldiers were picked off and the eerie silence of the night was occasionally interrupted by terrified screams and frantic gunfire. Raptors ran to and fro, biting and screeching and killing. Soldiers ran blindly through the dark, only to be ran down or cornered by another raptor.

Alexander crouched low in the bushes, readjusting his grip on the rifle in his sweaty hands. In the grass next to him a branch snapped and a raptor growled. He moved backwards a little and raised his gun. Charlie popped up in the grass, the night vision camera still strapped to his head. Alexander lowered his gun slowly as the raptor he had raised cocked its head at him and snapped its jaws a little. Maybe if he could talk to Charlie, if he could pet him, he could get him back on their side-

A soldier in the bushes behind Charlie fired off the shoulder cannon, and the grass exploded into flames and smoke. Alexander was sent flying backwards from the explosion, his head hitting a rock and he momentarily blacked out. His body hurt all over, and he thought for a moment that he must be on fire, but after opening his eyes and putting himself down, he found no evidence of any burns. He looked back at the blazing blades of thick grass and sighed. Charlie was gone. Probably killed on impact. 

“Fall back! Retreat!”

Alexander turned and scrambled to his feet, running towards the voices at full speed. He would not be left alone out here while the raptors were taking orders from the Indominus. 

 

Back at the paddock, Aaron pressed the tablet against his chest and closed his eyes. “Oh my God.” He sighed and wiped a hand over his eyes. “Oh my _God_.”

“Is everyone dead?” Theo squeaked, and he whipped around to face her. They had slid the little window open halfway and were both peering through anxiously. 

“No, no, no sweetheart, everything's just fine.” He reached out and stroked her cheek, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. She seemed to know is wasn't true, but didn't say anything.

“Is my dad okay?” Philip looked at him, terrified. 

“Of course, Philip. Your father is fine.”

“I want to go home.” Theo pouted miserably and Aaron sighed in pity. 

“You will, honey, both of you will. Tomorrow morning, both of you will be safe and at home and everything is going to be okay, I promise.”

There was a sudden frantic banging at the window, and Aaron jumped. He motioned the kids back and shut the window. When he looked, there were streaks of blood on the glass. The soldier had a cut on his face and his hand was covered in blood.

“They're coming! Get out of here!” He yelled through the glass, and ran around back, out of sight. Aaron fumbled with the key and then turned it, and the van engine rumbled to life. 

The doors to the back were thrown open, and Theo and Philip looked up. The soldier was clambering into the van and the two kids stared at his bloodied hands and vest. The van jolted forward suddenly, just as a velociraptor came barreling out of the jungle at top speed. Theo screamed as the raptor lunged and caught the unfortunate man by his leg. He yelled in pain and his grip slipped from the bed of the truck, and he tumbled out into the mud. 

The two kids watched, horrified, as they pulled away out of the paddock and his screams started to fade. 

They drove for a little while until they turned onto a dirt road and the paddock disappeared. There was a light mist covering the dark terrain, and somewhere, an owl hooted softly. The doors of the van swung open and closed repeatedly, the two of them too tired to get up and close them. A raptor cried faintly. The two of them looked up. 

A little further down the road, the same raptor that had attacked the soldier at the paddock, was running at top speed down the road. It was gaining fast. The two of them stared a terrified look. They needed to close those doors. 

“It's too far behind to catch up right?” Theo looked to Philip for confirmation, but he looked unsure.

“They can run pretty fast.” 

Another raptor sprang out of the bushes that ran alongside the road, just in front of the other raptor.

“Shit.” Philip said.

Theo looked frantically around the back of the van for something that could help them. Her eye landed on the oxygen tanks on one wall. That would work, right? She crawled over to it and unhooked it from its perch. She'd seen this in movies, she would throw the tank into their path and he raptors would trip and fall. It wouldn't keep them down for no more than a few seconds but it would by them some time. She dragged it over to the doors and pushed it off the edge. It fell straight into their path with a clunk. 

The raptors dodged it swiftly.

One raptor ducked over to the side of the van, out of their sight, while the other just lowered its head, screeched, and picked up the pace. She looked around again, surely there had to be _something_ to help them. Philip was already one step ahead of her, reaching towards one of the tasing sticks in the corner. Of course! 

The van jerked to the side suddenly, and there was a pained cry from the other raptor. Her dad must have noticed it on the side and rammed it with the vehicle. Philip tumbled down but managed to grab onto the stick before it got out of his reach, and it popped free of its hook with ease. 

The raptor behind them was only a few feet away now, and Theo scrambled backwards from the door until her back hit the wall. The raptor flexed it's claws, ducked its head and leapt forward. It fell just short off the truck bed, its legs and tail hanging off the van. It squirmed and scrambled and thrashed and snapped its jaws. Philip thrust the long tasing stick at it and it hit with accuracy, at the place where the raptors skull met its neck. There was that unmistakeable zapping sound that you heard in movies and a few sparks. The raptor jolted, stilled and fell off the truck with a heavy clunk. Philip scrambled backward and away from the open door, the tasing pole still in his hands. The raptor lay in the middle of the dirt path and didn't get up.

Theo whooped in joy and relief and laughed. Philip laughed right along with her, tossing the pole away from him and pumping his fists in the air. He scrambled over to her and threw his arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. She returned the hug with the same force. 

Reaching up, she slid the little window open all the way. “Dad! Did you see what Philip just did?”

“Are you guys okay back there?”

“We’re great!” Philip got on top of the cooler and stuck a thumbs up through the window and then laughed hysterically. Out of the corner of her eye, Theo saw something behind the truck in the middle of the road, and she thought for a fleeting, terrifying second that it was one of the raptors but when she turned she saw Alexander on his motorcycle.

“Dad!” Philip screamed and waved a hand, grinning widely. Alexander waved with three fingers and smiled crookedly, then swerved off to the side. Even from the back of the truck she could hear him yell.

“We have to get indoors, follow me!”

 

Aaron parked the van by the entrance of the visitors center and got out quickly, leaving the door open and the keys in the ignition. Theo and Philip were already clambering out of the back with the help of Alexander, and he pulled Aaron closer by his shoulder as he approached. 

“Alexander, if I had known she was part raptor, I wouldn't have-”

“Don't worry about it, you couldn't have known.” Alexander squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and then pointed towards the visitors center. “We have to get inside.”

Aaron nodded and grabbed Theo's hand, tugging her up the steps and into the building with Alexander and Philip following close behind. Aaron pushed open the heavy wooden doors and guided the three of them in before him and then pointed towards the back of the buildings, towards the labs and the control room.

“The control room is that way!” He yelled and pointed as the four of them ran across the lobby. With Alexander in the lead, and the kids in between the two of them, they sprinted through the white tiled hallway with glass walls, past the labs and-

Aaron came to a sudden stop and looked around.

There was no one there.

“They evacuated the lab.” He whispered to himself and looked around at the empty tables and desks. Alexander and the kids had stopped ahead of him and were now looking at him in confusion. Aaron shared a look with Alexander before moving towards the genetic modification lab. Alexander followed hesitantly. 

The genetic modification lab was where all the ‘magic’ happened, as Seabury had said once. Inside were glass tanks occupied with genetically modified reptiles and amphibians, that the scientists had first used to start experimenting. Small lizards with green, iridescent feathers. Two albino snakes. A translucid, neon yellow newt with blue, feathery quills. A chameleon with four eyes that could snag a cricket from its food dish without even turning its head to look. 

“What the hell.” Alexander breathed as he watched the chameleon eat. There was a sudden hissing noise from behind them, and all four jumped and turned. 

Three men in black vests and ball caps were taking embryo samples in little vials from the storage system and lowering them into a metal box overflowing with white steam. The words Warning: Severe Cold were printed in bold red letters on the side of the box. Aaron started towards them.

“Hey, what are you doing!”

“I'm afraid that knowledge is above your pay grade, Burr.” Lee stepped around the corner and smiled mockingly. Aaron scowled at him.

“Where’s Samuel?” Aaron watched with hateful eyes as Lee waved his hand and the three men wheeled the metal box full of precious dinosaur embryos out of the lab.

“Doctor Seabury works for us now.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“That's not a real dinosaur.” Theo piped up from behind Alexander and nodded towards one of the computers on the desk. On the screen was a blueprint model of the Indominus in full detail - including the genetic makeup - rotating slowly in a full circle.

“Nope. It's not, kid.” Lee sighed and put his hands on his hips. 

It was only then that he realized Lee had a gun on his belt.

“But somebody has to make sure this company has a future. Could you imagine that dinosaur,” Lee pointed towards the screen, “about a fraction of the size? Deadly? Intelligent? Able to hide from the most advanced thermal technology? A living weapon unlike anything we’ve had before.”

“You're insane.” Alexander hissed and Lee shook his head.

“Not insane. I'm simply thinking of the big picture here. With a weapon like that, we would be unstoppable. This company, your family name would go down in history! What would your parents have wanted, Aaron?”

Alexanders hands curled into tight fists and his eyes narrowed, angry that Lee would even think of striking such a low blow. But Aaron seemed surprisingly unphased.

“My parents never go to see their company grow. They never got to see what they had dreamed of.” His voice was quiet and his face unreadable. “But what they wanted was not to use these animals as weapons. What they wanted was to remind people of how small and new we are. So don't ever even _think_ that you know what they would have-”

At the sound of breaking glass, they all turned. Blue the velociraptor screeched suddenly and leapt forward in between them, making Aaron flinch and jump backwards, stumbling into Alexander's body. Where the fuck had she come from? Why hadn't they heard her approach?

“Oh, shit!” Lee exclaimed and scrambled backwards, one hand going up in front of him and the other going to the gun on his belt. “Easy, boy.”

He raised his hand in front of Blue’s about and she stared at it with quizzical, calculating eyes. Alexander slowly pushed the kids towards the door, being sure to make as little noise as possible so Blue wouldn't hear. The velociraptor had cornered Lee into the wall and was cocking her head at him curiously.

“Easy, easy!” Lee’s hand shook and there was an audible click as he popped the gun free from its holster and raised it slightly. “I'm on your side.”

Alexander pushed Theo and Philip out of the room and whispered the directions to the control room, watching Blue out of the corner of his eyes. Lee licked his lips nervously and Alexander actually did pity him. Aaron put a hand on his shoulder and the two of them shared a look. They wouldn't wish this on anyone.

“I'm on your side.”

Blue looked at his hand for another moment before closing her jaws around it in one quick movement. 

Lee screamed.

The gun went off.

Aaron's hand tightened on Alexander’s shoulder.

With the only thought going through his head that he had to get out of there, Alexander grabbed Aaron's hand and tugged. He didn't move.

_‘Where did the bullet go?’_

Something fell and splattered onto the pristine white tile. Confused, Alexander looked down.

It was blood.

 

_Oh._

 

The bullet was in Aaron's stomach.

Alexander looked up, horrified. Aaron's face was a dusty, ashen gray, and his lips were parted slightly. He stumbled forward a little and Alexander hooked his arms under his to keep him standing. His hand was pressed firmly to his stomach, and blood was starting to seep through his fingers and soak into the white fabric in a steady flow.

“Alexander, go.” He breathed and pushed Alexander away.

“N-no, no Aaron, not without you, c-come on.”

Blue was still busy devouring Lee, and Alexander did not want him or Aaron to be here when she lost interest.

“Just lean on me and keep moving, okay?” Alexander tightened his grip around his body and started moving. Aaron took a deep breath and started moving too, his knees wobbling at first but then he straightened up and started moving quicker. Theo and Philip were waiting a little ways down the hall, looking worried.

“Oh my God, Dad!” Theo cried and the pair started running towards them.

“I'm fine, go! Get to the control room!”

They reluctantly turned, but then the glass wall shattered in front and Blue fell to the ground, scrambling and crying out.

“Nevermind! Other way!” Aaron reached out and grabbed Theo by the collar of her shirt and yanked her back. Blue screeched and tried to get up, but she scrambled on the glass shards beneath her. With the kids in front of them and Alexander helping Aaron, they ran as fast as they could back to the entrance. On the way out, Theo glanced over her shoulder and saw Blue finally getting to her feet and starting to run after them. She slapped a hand down on the hologram table and hoped whatever she had pressed would buy them sometime. 

Luckily she had pressed the Dilophosaurus button, and a hologram popped up in the middle of the floor, just in Blue’s path. The hologram made a strange hooting noise and its crest flared up like a wildflower around its head. Blue scrambled backwards, allowing them to get outside in time.

Delta and Echo were waiting for them at the bottom of the steps.

“Shit!” Alexander exclaimed and pulled back as Delta spun around and screeched at them. Echo darted out to the side, blocking their only exit. Blue had figured out that the hologram inside the visitor's center posed no real threat to her and had pushed open the doors and blocked off their backwards exit.

They were surrounded.

And Aaron was losing blood. 

“So that's how it is, huh?” Alexander asked quietly, his gaze flicking between the three raptors that he'd been with all their lives. “This is how it ends?”

Delta stared at him with calculating eyes. He knew the raptor he had raised was in there somewhere. He slowly bent to place the rifle on the ground. 

“Alexander,” Aaron began to warn him, his hand tightening on Alexander's shoulder. Delta leaned down to sniff the rifle on the ground cautiously, then straightened back up and cocked her head at him. He held his hand up and brushed a thumb along her jaw gingerly. She growled and snarled at him, golden eyes flashing.

“Easy.” He shushed her, trying to reassert his position as alpha as quickly yet gently as possible. She growled again, yet it was softer this time, more refrained. “Easy, girl.”

His hand slowly made its way to the harness Delta was still wearing, the one with the night vision camera on it. In no apparent rush, he unbuckled it and let it slip off her head and onto the cement. Her breathing had slowed noticeably, and he smiled. 

The roar of Indominus cut through the air, and the raptor pack - no longer concerned with the four people - whirled around. She came in from the east, stepping her wide girth around the cafe building and fixing them all with a sinister glare. She approached them and snarled, shaking the ground with her weight. Delta cried out at her, something akin to defiance in the cry that made Alexander glow with pride. The pack was back on their side. Indominus opened her jaws wide with anger and roared at Delta - _kill them_ she said - and Delta stepped forward and screeched in response. 

In her fury, Indominus bellowed and swiped her arm downwards through the air, throwing Delta into the brick wall of a nearby store. The impact left a reasonably sized dent in the wall and Delta fell limply to the ground.

She flailed once and then stopped moving.

Echo and Blue looked at each other and then to Alexander, awaiting directions from their alpha. He stared up at Indominus challengingly and then let out a brisk, high pitched whistle. Echo and Blue screeched an affirmation and ran at Indominus. She reared back and regarded them with a disdainful look, roaring angrily. The two raptors bunched their haunches and leapt - Alexander had forgotten they could leap that high - right onto Indominus’ broad, scaly back. She roared, surprised and angry, and stumbled backwards. 

Alexander took the chance and snagged his rifle from the ground, before pointing towards an empty souvenir booth and directing the kids towards it. Theo took her dad's hand and helped him over to the booth while Alexander ducked behind an amber monument and began to aim and fire. 

As the sound of gunshots and angry roars rang out, Theo and Philip crouched down below the counter of the booth while Aaron groaned and lowered himself to the ground painfully. Theo pulled her backpack off her shoulders and started to unzip it frantically to reach her first aid kit, but Aaron held up a bloodied hand.

“I don't think there's anything in there that could help this kind of wound, kiddo. You haven't dealt with bullet wounds, have you?”

Theo's bottom lip quivered as she shook her head.

“So what do we do?” Philip asked and scooted closer to him.

“You two are going to sit there while I deal with this myself.” Aaron pulled himself into a sitting position against the wall with a grunt of pain and looked around. There was a first aid kit like Theo's on the wall, but Aaron didn't think there would be anything of real use in there. They were only equipped with gauze and bandages and flares, all real wounds were sent to the infirmary. 

His eyes landed on a pen and a stapler next to a pile of safety waver papers on the counter. 

An idea began to form.

“Theo, could you give me that pen and stapler please?” He pointed and she turned to look before grabbing them and handing them to him. He placed them on the ground next to him as he pulled the sticky, bloody tank top up to reveal the wound.

Another few gunshots rang out, and a raptor screeched. 

The wound was practically pulsing with the steady stream of blood, and Aaron looked away quickly. He grabbed the pen from the ground and pushed it between his teeth, taking several deep breaths before grabbing the stapler too. 

“Woah, Dad, what are you-”

Aaron reached down and pinched the skin around the wound, causing another spurt of warm, red blood to flow out over his hand. With a shaking hand, he lowered the teeth of the stapler gingerly around the bullet hole and took several quick, deep breaths in through his nose to prepare himself.

More shots rang out.

Aaron squeezed the stapler. 

He clenched the pen between his teeth so hard he swore it was going to break. The flaring hot pain only lasted for a second and then the area went warm and numb. Blood was still flowing, but the small glint of the metal staple was somehow comforting. He turned weakly onto one side and spit the pen from his mouth lazily before extending a hand to Theo.

“Bandages and gauze please.” 

Theo nodded and grabbed the first aid kit from her bag before popping it open and gathering the supplies from it. He helped her apply gauze to the wound - occasionally stopping to close his eyes because blood was not his strong suit - and then wrap bandages around his midsection. 

After there was nothing else he could do, he collapsed against the wall, swallowed heavily and wiped a hand across his brow. Philip was peeking over the counter of the booth, watching the ongoing battle and muttering to himself.

“Philip, get down!” Aaron tried to lean forward and grab him, but Philip sat down immediately.

“We need more.” Philip said quietly and looked at Aaron pointedly.

“More what?”

“Teeth. We need more teeth.”

Aaron looked at him for a moment as another idea started to bubble. _‘Fight fire with fire’_ His Uncle used to tell him as a child _‘don't let them have the final grin’._

Aaron pulled himself to his feet with a wince and went to the first aid kit on the wall. He tore it open, leaving smears of blood on the white plastic, and took the two flares and the flare gun from the kit, and the radio that was hanging on a hook beside it. He glanced outside again.

The two raptors were crawling and biting all over Indominus - practically driving her mad - as Alexander fired bullet after bullet into her hide. In an attempt to crush one of the raptors, she rammed her side into the brick wall of a diner with a watchtower on top. The watchtower had a ceramic bowl of fire on top to go with the whole prehistoric feel of the diner. When she rammed into it, the gasoline tank beneath the ceramic bowl came loose and fell onto Indominus and the raptors below, spilling gasoline onto the pavement and their scaled bodies.

He turned back to the kids.

“Okay, so,” he licked his lips and looked outside again as a raptor screeched. “I’m going to do something crazy and a little suicidal, and I need you two to stay here.”

“But Dad-”

“Theo, please don't argue with me about this, okay? Do not leave this booth unless you absolutely have to.”

Theo nodded reluctantly and sniffed. 

“I'll be back, just stay here.” Aaron took a deep breath and hopped over the booth counter. 

Alexander was reloading his rifle from behind the amber monument when he saw Aaron, covered in blood, hop out of the booth and start running across the cement, towards the west side.

“Aaron! What are you doing?” Alexander yelled, but Aaron didn't seem to hear, or at least, if he did, he didn't care enough to stop. Indominus roared, catching Alexander's attention again, and he finished reloading his rifle - all the while swearing under his breath. Blue and Echo were still crawling all over Indominus’ hide like fleas and biting, and she was starting to get worn out and frustrated. Echo climbed over her spine and then promptly slid off with a yelp. 

Indominus caught him in her jaws and flung him into the grill of a diner, where the gasoline he was drenched in caused the entire thing burst into flames. Alexander stared for a moment and then whipped around to face the Indominus. He managed to get out of the way just in time to avoid her battering ram of a tail collide with the amber monument and shatter it. While Indominus grabbed Blue in her jaws and flung her, and chunks of amber flew through the air, Alexander ran over to the booth and hopped over the counter smoothly.

He dropped to the ground and held up a finger to the kids as silence reigned. He saw the shadow of Indominus’ snout fall over the three of them, and Philip's eyes widen in fear. Indominus roared and rammed her jaw into the booth, shaking the entire thing and making both kids scream. Alexander flattened himself in front of them as souvenirs and stuffed animals fell all around them. Indominus roared again and moved to break through the other wall with her arm. Her claws scratched blindly against the pavement as Alexander pushed the kids to the other wall, farthest away.

Philip pulled his legs out of the way as Indominus scratched into the floor where his body had just been.

 

“John are you still there?” Aaron breathed into the radio as he ran and silently prayed for a response. The adrenaline flowing through his veins was fortunately masking the pain in his abdomen, making his entire body warm and numb.

“Yeah, Peggy and I stayed. Hey, where are you?” John's reply was a little masked with static, but Aaron could hear it fine.

“I need you to open Paddock 9!” 

“Paddock 9?” John echoed as he slid over to one of the screens. He punched in the passcode but hesitated before hitting unlock. “Are you kidding?”

Peggy looked at the name of the paddock and looked up at him in alarm. _‘Is he insane?’_ She mouthed at him.

The Tyrannosaur Paddock?

Aaron came to a stop in front of the wide, solid steel gate, his breathing heavy and mind spinning.

“Dammit John, would you be a man and just do something, for once in your life!” He growled into the receiver and looked pointedly up at the security camera. 

“Well fuck, man, you don't have to make it personal.” John whimpered and looked again at the unlock button. He looked back at the security footage and watched as Aaron tossed away the radio and stared up at the camera in a challenging gesture. “It's your funeral.” He muttered jokingly and hoped he was lying before pressing the button. 

Aaron looked up at the gate as the red warning lights started to flash and the gate started to lift and he wondered if this was maybe the wrong idea. As soon as it was open about halfway, he tore the cap off of one flare and held the flame out to the side, away from him. He was relieved and also terrified when instantly there were the sound of heavy, slow footsteps and the glint of beady reptilian eyes. 

He didn't wait to make out the square head of the T-Rex or its large yet entirely lithe body before waving the flare frantically to get its attention and then starting to jog. The heavy footsteps picked up as the T-Rex ducked through the gate and turned the corner, following Aaron and the flare. 

He came back into the main part of the park with his legs and lungs burning, and tossed the burned out flare half heartedly towards Indominus. The T-Rex roared and Aaron fit the other flare into the gun as he ran and ducked behind a rock monument. The Indominus peeked up at the sound of the roar and stood to her full height, turning towards the newcomer. Aaron aimed the flare gun towards her head, still dripping with gasoline, and muttered something before pulling the trigger.

_“Fuck you.”_

The flare fired and the T-Rex followed it.

It hit Indominus in her neck and her entire side burst into flames. The Tyrannosaur roared and charged her as flames licked up half of her body, and she screeched in pain and fury. The T-Rex bit savagely down onto her neck and pulled, and she swung her head in anger, trying to see her opponent. 

Across the way, while Indominus was distracted by this new and strong opponent, Alexander was pushing the kids over the broken and dented counter of the booth. Aaron waved them over from his place behind the rock and they started running, occasionally ducking to avoid flying debris from the battle. He ushered the kids behind the rock in front of him and then dropped down beside them. 

“Are you alright?” Alexander reached out and touched Aaron's cheek gingerly. He only shrugged.

“Well, I certainly could be better.”

Theo snorted, but they all flinched ducked when the Tyrannosaur swiped his tail over their hiding place and roared. He had gotten Indominus into the center of the area and was starting to corner her back towards the Mosasaurus aquarium. She roared and they clashed heads, biting at necks and tearing with teeth and claw. 

Blue the velociraptor had gotten up from where she had passed out on the pavement, shook herself and screeched, running towards the battle with full fledged audacity. She leaped and reattached herself to Indominus’ side that wasn't still smoldering. Indominus roared again in rage and thrashed wildly under the flames and the bites from the T-Rex and the raptor. 

“We should get indoors.” Alexander grabbed the two kids and pointed towards a still standing gift shop on the corner. He turned and helped Aaron up, tossing his arms over his shoulders and looking at him.

“Are you sure you're-”

“Don't worry, I’ll be fine.” Aaron nodded and the two started moving quickly when the T-Rex roared. “I have a lot to stay alive for.” 

Theo and Philip had stopped by one of the glass windows to watch the battle with wide eyes. The Tyrannosaur latched its jaws onto Indominus’ shoulder and pushed her back as she flailed and struggled against his grip. She broke away and ducked to bite his neck, but he countered the move and shoved against her. She fell into the tall metal fence of the Mosasaurus exhibit and completely broke it, the sound of crunching metal against cement overwhelmingly loud. 

The Tyrannosaur and the raptor both fell back as she started to get to her feet again, labored and slow but completely furious and capable. She got up, swung her tail over the broken remains of the fence, planted her wide feet on the slick cement, and opened her jaws to let out an earsplitting, guttural roar-

Her roar was countered by the sound of splashing water as the Mosasaurus broke the surface of the water and clamped its mighty jaws shut around her back leg. The Mosasaurus began to tug as it wriggled back into the water. Indominus yelped like a dog as he legs have out beneath her and her bottom half slipped into the water. The four of them watched slack jawed with shock as the Mosasaurus readjusted its grip on her lower half and dragged her down. She flailed and struggled and roared as she was dragged beneath the surface, and then the dark blue water enveloped her entire body and her sounds were cut short. 

Even the Tyrannosaur and Blue seemed stilled with shock as silence reigned over the park, the only sound was the crackling of fire and the occasional cry of some exotic bird. The air smelled like smoke and gasoline and blood and the entire park was in ruins. He Tyrannosaur shifted on its feet and looked down at Blue curiously, albeit with some sort of respect. The T-Rex ducked its head in an approving gesture, then turned and began to thump back to its paddock, looking regal and dignified even while covered blood and gashes. Blue stared after the T-Rex and then looked over to Alexander, blinking and cocking her head. 

She was the only survivor of the pack.

Alexander nodded his solemn approval, and she stared at her alpha for another moment before looking away. She glanced back at the four of them one more time before she started to jog away, her claws clacking against the cement and her tail swishing behind her. He watched her leave with a heavy feeling in his heart, even as she turned the corner and disappeared from view, it lingered. Philip and Theo came to stand next to them, stunned into silent.

Philip was the first to start laughing.

It was just a simple puff of air at first, no more than a snort, but then his grin had overtaken his freckled face and he was laughing hysterically. Theo started giggling happily alongside him and soon all four of them were laughing out of hysterical, ecstatic, relief. Relief that they were alive and that they'd made it and that it was over and Indominus was drowning in her own dark, watery grave and they could finally breathe and be safe and-

Aaron's legs gave out and he nearly brought Alexander down with him.

“Oh, shit!” Alexander kept his arms around Aaron's body and lowered him to the ground, guilty that he'd forgotten all about his condition in his relief. 

“Dad!” Theo's smile was gone and she dropped to her knees next to her father's body. Alexander looked down and lifted up the fabric gently only to find that the bandage was soaked all the way through with blood.

_‘Oh God.’_

“Oh my God, Dad! I'm so sorry- I…” Theo's hands stuttered over the soaked bandage and she let out a sob. “I'm sorry! I thought I had wrapped it tight enough- I…I-”

“H-hey, hey, it's going to be alright!” Alexander reached out and wiped a few tears from her cheeks. “Everything's going to be just fine, I promise, everything's going to be…” Alexander looked to Aaron for some sort of reassurance and he realized that the other man was completely silent.

For a second he had thought that the unimaginable had happened but then Aaron took a deep, labored breath and began speaking.

“You know, after ten years of living on this island, I have never realized how beautiful the night sky is.”

Alexander blinked at him and then looked up. Sure enough, the night sky was there, flecked with millions of bright pinpricks of light and a full, silver moon. It was absolutely stunning, but there was something about the way Aaron said it that made it seem like this would be the last night sky he saw. 

Alexander looked back down and realized with horror that Aaron's skin had turned slightly gray in color and his eyes were dulled.

_‘No.’_

“You like the stars, right Theo?” Aaron reached out to her and she took her father's hand and nodded frantically, the tears falling fast and hard. “That's good. Your mother liked them too.”

_‘No. I don't want this to be the last one.’_

“What was she like again, Dad?” Theo sobbed out and Alexander's heart began to shatter because he knew what was coming.

_‘I'm not satisfied yet. I want one more night sky with him.’ ___

____

“She was great, kiddo.” Aaron sighed and then coughed, and a little bit of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. Alexander wiped it away quickly so the kids wouldn't see. “I'm sorry you can't remember her.” 

____

_‘I want one more dawn with him, waking up next to him. I want one more day, one more noon with him. I want one more drink, one more shot, one more chance. I want a re-do, I'd get it right this time, give me another chance, God, don't take him too.’_

____

“She was brave...and smart...and gorgeous. She made my life worthwhile. She seemed to be the only good thing this world had to offer.” 

____

_‘I want one more kiss in the forest, one more kiss by the truck, I want every single kiss he'd have to offer me. I want it all, I want him.’_

____

“I look at you and I see her.” Aaron reached up to stroke Theo's cheek, and she closed her eyes tight and let the tears fall. “And I’ve never been more proud.” 

____

His breathing was becoming more slow, more labored, his heartbeat was slowing down, and soon it would stop all together. 

____

“Dad, I’m scared.” Theo whispered and then sniffed. Aaron tutted and wiped away her tears. 

____

“Don't be, sweetheart, don't be afraid. Losing people is a part of life.” 

____

“Aaron, stop it. Don't talk like that.” 

____

Alexander had had enough and he didn't want to listen anymore. The light was starting to die but he didn't want to let it go out so soon. He was afraid of the dark, dammit. He didn't want to let go so soon, not after falling in so deep. 

____

“Alexander, please.” Aaron turned his head weakly to look at him. “Why shouldn't I?” 

____

“Because y-you're going to be just fine. I-I can call John, he'll call in a chopper and we can-” 

____

“They'll never make it in time.” Aaron smiled sadly up at him, and Alexander stared down at him. How could he be so calm about this? Had their kisses meant nothing? Hadn't any of this meant anything to him? Hadn't he fallen too? 

____

“So you're just going to give up?” 

____

“I'm not giving up.” Aaron said simply, and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind Alexander's ear. “I'm simply accepting the inevitable.” 

____

Alexander blinked, and he didn't even register it when his own tears fell down onto Aaron's chest. He swallowed and ducked his head, scared and confused and ashamed for no reason in particular. 

____

“Don't worry.” Aaron whispered and flashed another signature, perfect smile at him. 

____

_‘I want to see that smile one more time. I want to wake up next to that smile.’_

____

“Take your time, Alexander.” Aaron took another deep breath as Theo took his hand again and squeezed it. 

____

“I'll see you on the other side.” 

____

So Alexander tilted his head upwards to look at the night sky. 

____

He looked at the sky so the tears wouldn't fall. 

____

He looked at the sky so he wouldn't see when Aaron went limp in his arms. 

____

He looked at the sky so he didn't have to see Theo's face as she screamed. 

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaron Burr dying? In MY fanfiction?? It's more likely than you think!
> 
> srsly tho I'm so sorry but stick around it GETS BETTER I PROMISE


	10. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FUCK WAIT GUYS JUST READ THIS CHAPTER I FIXED IT I PROMISE
> 
> y'all should be proud of me cause this shit gets smutty at the end okay I did it

Call him crazy, but Aaron saw things during his coma.

Not really complete images, but more like the brief snapshots of a polaroid, going through his subconscious in a series of shutter-clicks. It started out faint at first, and he barely registered it, but then they started to appear in color.

The first thing he saw was a beach. A beach with white sand and turquoise colored waves cracking gently onto shore. The sky was cloudless and light blue, with the sun shining down and bouncing off the waves. Palm trees swayed airily in the ocean breeze and a boat rested serenely in the crystal clear water. Where was he?

Things began to change, melting into one another until there was something new to look at. The next shutter click was a stucco house, no bigger than a cottage, with a terra cotta shingled roof and the windows open. A handmade windchime in the window. A soccer ball lying on the front step. A women on the front porch, her head bowed as she sat in front of a sewing machine, dark hair curtaining her face. 

The next shutter click was of a hospital room. A heart monitor. Flowers. Balloons. _Get well soon_. A hospital bed with white sheets. A bed with a woman's body on it. Everything was blurred slightly, just enough so that he wasn't able to make out who she was, but her skin was frighteningly pale. The blinds were closed, allowing only a little bit of sunlight to struggle through. 

The picture started to melt again, and everything got darker. 

Thunder. Pouring Rain. People screaming. Waves crashing against the shore with frenzied fury. Cars washed away, houses crumbling, trees bent over so far their leaves touched the wet ground. Lightning. Dark, muddy, water rushing into a basement through a broken window. Water crashing over a bridge and onto a road. Water everywhere. A _hurricane._

The next image was brighter and stiller. 

It was New York harbor, Aaron could tell from his youth. He could make out the outlines of the buildings and apartment complexes and the Statue of Liberty was just off to his left. The World Trade Center was still standing, so the image had to be from a while ago. The Empire State Building. Cars honking. Ship horns blowing. 

Another shutter click. 

Central Park. It was either late spring or early summer. Pink cherry blossom trees lined the cement pathway. There was an old woman sitting on a bench reading a newspaper. But more importantly was the girl in the middle of the path. She was beautifully pale with long dark hair and almond shaped eyes. She was wearing a blue sundress.

The image melted and something new came up.

A little boy only around three or four, sitting on a blue carpet. He donned a messy mop of brown curls and a healthy amount of freckles. Aaron knew his name and tried to recall it. _Why couldn't he remember his name?_ The little boy had two dinosaur figurines in his chubby little hands and there was an authentic velociraptor claw lying on the rug next to him. 

The next image was of that same boy, older this time, probably around seven or eight maybe, in a suit that looked too big. He was standing in front of a coffin. A bouquet of pink carnations. People standing in the pews of a church. A picture frame next to the coffin. The girl from the park. The body in the coffin.

_Good God_ , he thought blearily, _I’m seeing someone's life flash before my eyes._ But whose damn life was it? What did it mean to him? Who was the little boy and why couldn't Aaron recall his name? Why was his freckled face so familiar? 

Everything faded into darkness again and Aaron became lost in the pits of his mind yet again.

 

As he slowly came back to consciousness, the ringing in his ears grew louder. He started hearing things. They were faint and unclear, and he could hardly hear them over the ringing but they were there. Voices. A steady, monotone beeping sound. A phone ringing. Something that sounded like a cart being pushed. 

His sight came back slowly too. When he first opened his eyes, the only thing he could see was light. It was so glaringly bright that he closed them again, and when he opened them a moment later, the light was duller, more easy to look at, but it still took over his entire vision. _I’m dead,_ he thought as he took a deep breath, _I’m dead and this is Heaven_. The air had that strange medical smell to it, like the sickeningly clean, sterilized smell of a doctor's office. 

Somewhere a door opened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure move over to his side. He turned his head to look, and noticed that he was on a bed. A bed with white sheets. Everything that had once been white was slowly coming into color, and he realized that this couldn't have been Heaven. 

It was a hospital room.

“Mr Burr, you're awake.”

Holy fuck, he was _alive._

Aaron tried to speak but his voice failed and he burst into a sudden fit of coughing. When it finally passed, he took several deep breaths before trying to speak again.

“Wh-where am I?” Aaron's voice sounded quiet and rough to his own ears and he cleared his throat. 

“You're at the San José city hospital in Costa Rica. My name is Maria and I'm your nurse.” 

“I'm alive then?” Aaron tried to sit up but Maria put her hands on his shoulders and eased him back down. 

“Don't sit up, the wound hasn't healed fully yet. And yes you're alive, and very lucky to be. I'm sorry to say, but no one here expected you to pull through.”

Aaron blinked up at her, everything starting to come back bit by bit. Indominus, the velociraptor pack, Lee and his gun, the Mosasaurus, the _blood._ He realized she was talking to him as she typed in things on her tablet, her eyes scanning the numbers on the heart monitor. 

“You did a good job of stapling the wound shut but it couldn't hold for very long. You passed out from the blood loss and they had to fly you here on a chopper. A young man on the helicopter, something Laurens-"

“John?”

“Yes, that's him. He managed to staunch the flow of the blood until you got here, and we rushed you into surgery as soon as we could. Keep in mind we were pretty busy with all the other injuries from the park, and were running low on pints of blood. _And_ we still had to get that bullet out of your system before it did any major damage.”

She looked at him cautiously before continuing. “While you were out, you fell into cardiac arrest twice.”

His heart had stopped beating.

Twice.

Yet here he was.

“Jesus.” Aaron muttered, and passed a hand over his eyes. 

“You're a very strong man, Mr Burr.” She smiled apologetically at him. He briefly wondered how many times she had to look apologetic in this hospital. How many people had she seen die?

“Call me Aaron, please. How long was I out?”

Maria thought for a moment. “About 60 hours, I’d say.”

“Two _days_?” Aaron asked her in disbelief. She nodded and he swore quietly, turning his eyes up towards the ceiling. He could only imagine the strain he put on Theo-

His daughter.

“My daughter! Theo, is she okay?” He tried to sit up again but the flaring pain tore through his abdomen again and he swore, a hand going to his stomach. Maria rushed over to ease him back down, propping up his pillow and making sure he was comfortable. 

“Your daughter is fine, Aaron. She had minimal injuries and has been waiting with her aunt upstairs.” Maria set her tablet down on the bedside table and went over to a small computer monitor. 

“Her aunt-” Aaron pulled himself into a sitting position, making sure not to wince too much when the pain came back. “You mean my sister is here?”

Maria nodded. “She flew in from New York as soon as she heard.”

“May I see them, please?”

“Of course. I'll go tell them you're awake.” Maria smiled kindly and grabbed her tablet before walking towards the door. 

When she left Aaron turned towards the window and looked out. He couldn't see over the tall city buildings, but the horizon was bright blue and the sun shone high in the sky. It felt like the sudden peace and calm after the storm. He looked down at the golden wedding band on his finger that he still wore every day and rubbed it. He tried to comprehend the fact that his heart had stopped twice while he was in a coma, and then gave up thinking about it, deciding it was a topic for a later time. A little while later, the door opened, expecting to see his daughter standing in the doorway. 

Instead, it was Alexander.

It was Alexander standing still in the doorway, his dark hair down around his shoulders and dark circles under his wide eyes. He looked horribly disheveled and like he hadn't slept in days - which he probably hadn't, Aaron realized with some consideration. His eyes were looking Aaron up and down as he took a couple steps forward, letting the door fall shut behind him with a soft click. Neither of them spoke.

“Are...you okay?” Aaron asked after a little bit of staring and sat up a little more, making Alexander look him in the eye. Instead of responding, Alexander moved towards the bed and sat down on the edge of it. “Have you slept at all? You don't look like you've eaten very much either, have you?”

Alexander raised his shaking hands up to cradle Aaron's face, his thumbs brushing over his cheekbones, feeling the curve of them beneath his skin. His hands were warm and welcome on his skin. Aaron raised his own hands to wrap around Alexander's wrists, and he smiled at him fondly.

“Do I have to be awake to do everything for you, Alexander?”

Alexander laughed then, something that was scarily close to a sob and leaned in to brush their noses together before finally connecting their mouths. Aaron had no idea one kiss could make him so satisfied. Alexander kissed him chastely and hesitantly at first, and when he pulled back to look at him, there was a silent, urgent need in both of their eyes. Without speaking, Alexander dived back in and kissed Aaron with the eagerness of a man who hadn't eaten in years. 

Aaron leaned into it just as willingly and moved one of his hands up to Alexander's hair. He weaved it through the surprisingly soft locks and tightened his grip, needing something to ground him. Alexander whimpered and kissed him harder, pushing Aaron back into the pillow. He complied, letting Alexander's hands roam over his face and neck and chest and shoulders and letting him kiss him roughly and passionately. Alexander slowly kissed his way down Aaron's jaw and down his neck, occasionally stopping to bite or suck the skin - making Aaron whimper and shake. 

Aaron brought both hands up to run through Alex's hair, and he took notice when Alexander let a deep, shuddering breath slip out of his mouth. Alexander leaned back to stare at him as Aaron's hands moved down to his neck and then back up to his face where he brushed one thumb under Alex’s eye and the other over his bottom lip. He closed his eyes tight and sighed, turning his head to kiss the palm of Aaron's hand. 

“God.” Alexander breathed and closed his hand over Aaron's and held it as he kissed the palm. “Don't ever do that again.”

“Hm? Do what?” Aaron pulled him closer by the back of his head and kissed the side of his face gently. Alexander wrapped his arms around Aaron's shoulders and hugged him. 

“Scare me like that.” 

Aaron made a noise of understanding and lifted the hair away from Alexander's neck to kiss the skin there. 

“I'm serious, Aaron.” Alexander pulled back to look at him. “They told us that you wouldn't make it.”

Aaron looked at him for a moment, and then smiled a little. “And you believed them?”

Alexander's eyes searched his for a moment before looking down at his lap. Aaron brushed the hair from his before tilting Alexander's chin up and resting their foreheads together. 

“I told you I had a lot to stay alive for, didn't I?”

Alexander nodded and smiled weakly, but then it dropped. “Well you weren't acting like it when you started pulling all that ‘losing people is a part of life’ bullshit.” 

Aaron frowned with guilt as he pulled Alexander closer. “Is she okay?”

“She’s safe if that's what you mean.” Alexander moved to rest his head on Aaron's shoulder and kissed his neck. “But I don’t think she's okay mentally. She thinks she's an orphan, Aaron.”

“Christ.” Aaron sighed and passed a hand over his eyes. “Where is she?” 

“She's asleep upstairs in one of the rooms.”

“I need to see her.”

Alexander nodded and leaned back to look at him. “Yeah, I'll get her. I just…” he sighed and removed his hands from Aaron's shoulders. “I just want to…” 

He trailed off and their eyes locked, and Aaron suddenly understood. He wanted this moment to themselves, he wanted to have Aaron to himself just for a moment, to be able to relish in the fact that Aaron was alive and they had gotten through it. Aaron nodded and pulled him closer.

“Yeah.” Aaron whispered.

“Yeah.” Alexander whispered.

Their lips met and every worry seemed to disappear as Aaron's mind went blank. He felt Alex sigh and melt into him, his hands going to his waist. All of this was so good, Aaron knew everything about how to kiss him, it was like he had taken every single class on the subject. He knew how to make Alexander shiver just by whispering his name, he knew how to get him to make that needy little keen by biting down on his lip, he knew how to make him arch his back and groan by just sliding their tongues together. He already knew every single place that made him gasp and twitch, like his thigh and the dip of his spine between his shoulder blades. He had already mapped out every curve and divot and edge in his body, like the slender yet muscular curve of his biceps and forearms, the broad, flat plane of his back, the sharp curve of his jaw, the smooth and warm curve of his mouth against Aaron's. 

He already knew that the curve of his body fit against his own perfectly. 

They broke away after what seemed like hours yet also didn't nearly seem long enough. Alexander rested his forehead against Aaron's and took several deep breaths, his lips wet and kiss swollen. Aaron smirked and laughed breathily and ran a hand through his hair again. Alexander swallowed thickly and looked at him, trailing his hands over his chest.

“I-I want…” Alexander trailed off and then swallowed again as his gaze dropped to Aaron's hips and lower half. Aaron watched as his gaze roamed over his entire body, and he couldn't help wondering if he was imagining what it all was like underneath the hospital gown. His heart skipped a couple beats when Alexander's tongue darted out to lick over his lips hungrily. He looked up and their eyes met, and the unbridled desire in them made Aaron shiver. 

Alexander smiled suddenly and moved in even closer, his breath fanning hot over Aaron's mouth. “Do you think we'd get in trouble for having sex right now?”

“Here?” Aaron asked and laughed when Alexander nodded frantically. He continued to laugh as he shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“What? I'm serious.” Alexander poked him in the ribs but laughed anyway, implying that he was joking at least a little bit. They looked at eachother for a moment before leaning in at the same time and connecting their mouths again. 

“Just wait, Alexander.” Aaron told him after pulling away and resting their foreheads together again. “Just let this happen, don't rush it. We’ll get there soon.” 

Alexander caught onto his tone, smiled and sighed happily. The door opened suddenly and Alexander got up and stepped to the side quickly, looking slightly alarmed.

“Dad!”

Theo ran in and scrambled up onto the bed, right into her father's arms. He wrapped his arms around her small frame and hugged her tightly as she cried into his shoulder. Sally stood in the doorway watching him with a bittersweet look on her face. 

“Hey, shh, it's alright, Theo, sweetheart it's alright. I'm right here, I'm so sorry.” He hugged her closer and ran a hand through her curls comfortingly. Sally walked over to his bed and bit her lip.

“Are you okay?” She asked, her voice breaking. He nodded and she sat down on the edge of the bed and threw an arm around his shoulders. She wiped her eyes quickly with her free hand and kissed her brother's forehead. Aaron took one arm off of Theo's back and wrapped around his sister's shoulders, hugging her just as close. 

Theo pulled back to look at him, laughing and crying and scrubbing a hand across her eyes.

“Honey, why are you crying?” He smiled at her and laughed softly, brushing the curls out of her face. She laughed in return and smiled brightly.

“I’m happy.” She laughed and then sobbed again, ducking her head down as Aaron pulled her into his chest again. Philip was standing by his father, and Aaron briefly noticed the matching bandages on their wrists. Philip smiled warmly at him, and Aaron smiled back. 

“I'm so sorry.” Sally took his hand and rubbed her thumb over the back of it. He looked at her and smiled, wondering how they'd managed to get here on their own. Originally, the park was supposed to go to his sister, since she was the oldest. She had refused and stood up to their uncle, saying she didn't want to become ensnared in a legacy which she had no interest in. Aaron wasn't strong enough to say no, not considering everything their parents had been through for that park.

Deep down, he knew she always blamed herself for leaving him to deal with their legacy. 

“It's alright. Everything's alright now.”

“It's going to be one hell of a legal battle after this.” Sally laughed halfheartedly and Aaron groaned.

“I don't even want to think about that right now.”

Theo had stopped crying, even though her eyes were still puffy and she sniffed occasionally, and she looked between the two of them for a moment. “So what do we do now?” She asked after a moment of silence. Aaron looked to his sister as he thought, and then to Alexander. Alexander smiled at him, and Aaron smiled back. 

“Well, I think we should stick together.” Aaron said after a moment, and Theo looked over her shoulder at Philip. “You know, for survival.”

Alexander laughed and grinned, his eyes narrowing mischievously. “Strictly for survival.”

Sally looked between the two of them suspiciously before nudging Aaron with her elbow. He looked at her and she quirked an eyebrow and winked slyly, earning a jab to the ribs from her brother. Theo giggled and he hugged her again, glancing at Alexander over her shoulder. The two smiled at each other.

Yeah.

For survival.

 

 

Alexander rolled over in his bed and blearily reached out an arm to curl around his husbands waist. After a moment of blind fumbling, his hand only groping empty space and bedsheets, Alexander opened his eyes. Their bedroom was dark and the place where his husband was supposed to be sleeping was devoid of a body. The sheets were thrown back and Alex sighed, turning slightly to look at the alarm clock on their nightstand.

_3:37_

Great. 

He propped himself up on his elbows, his muscles tight with sleep, and found his husband standing at the window and staring out into the night with his arms crossed. If it weren't for the fact that he was still half asleep, Alexander probably would have been slightly aroused at the fact that he was only wearing a pair of black silk boxers.

“Aaron, what are you doing?” Alexander's voice was groggy and he rubbed his eyes to try and wake himself up. His husband didn't even flinch from his place at the window. Alexander sat up fully and yawned. “Honey, come back to bed.” He patted the space next to him invitingly, trying to get his attention. Aaron didn't even blink.

Alex sighed, and with a few muttered curses, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. He stretched and scratched his head as he moved over to his husband. 

“ _Sleep_ , Aaron.” 

He reached out and placed his hand on Aaron's bicep, and the man immediately reacted, flinching under his touch and jolting awake. The sudden movement startled Alexander, and he retracted his hand as Aaron spun around to face him.

“Woah, babe, it's just me, calm down.”

Aaron saw him and his shoulders sagged, a shuddering breath escaping his mouth. Alexander took a cautious step towards him and touched his arm again. “It's just me.”

Aaron nodded and took Alexander into his arms. “Sorry, I was just...lost in thought, I guess.”

“Yeah, I could tell.” Alexander mumbled and laid his head against Aaron's chest, feeling some sort of adoration when Aaron rested his chin stood his head. “You’ve been kind of distracted lately.”

Aaron made a noise of agreement as one hand came up to card through Alexander's hair slowly. Alex closed his eyes and relished in the feeling of Aaron's warm body pressed against his as silence reigned again. After a few blissful moments, Alexander turned his head to look out their window. It was a beautiful night.

“The stars are pretty, aren't they?” He muttered, and Aaron nodded silently.

They'd been happily married for about six months now, and things were going as smoothly as suspected. They took their time learning how to function as a couple, especially with Theo and Philip, and after a year and a half of dating, Alexander had proposed. He still remembered the way Theo had practically glowed and wouldn't stop enthusing about the prospect of having a brother. They both had been worried about how the kids would react, but they were supportive and happy with everything they did, which of course made everything go smoother.

After the wedding, they'd gotten a little place in Harlem and started figuring things out. It had been rough at first, Aaron and Alexander had been worried that Theo and Philip would get some backlash over having two dads, and of course, there was a little trouble. Philip started getting bad grades in his English class, even though he was undoubtedly one of the smartest kids there. His teacher refused to give him feedback on anything he did, and instead failed each one of his projects. Alexander had confronted the teacher after school one day, and he had claimed that the reason he would not give Philip good grades is because he believed it would be unfair to the other _pure_ children to grade a boy with two dads equally, since the Bible strictly goes against a man lying with another man.

So Alexander broke his nose and left.

The teacher was fired the following Monday. 

A new, younger teacher was hired, and Philip's grades started to go up again. And ever since then, things had gone smooth and Alexander was the happiest he'd ever been.

“I had another dream tonight.” Aaron spoke suddenly, waking Alexander from the light doze he was taking against his chest. Alexander tilted his head up to look at him. He knew Aaron sometimes had night terrors about the events that took place little more than two years ago, terrors that would leave him shaking in their bed and gulping for air. Alexander would wake up to his sobs and hold him close and whisper sweet nothings until he fell back asleep.

“Why didn't you wake me up?”

Aaron shrugged nonchalantly and sighed. “I didn't want you to worry.” With that, he finally turned away from the window and pressed a kiss to Alexander's forehead. Alexander tutted and pulled away slightly.

“I like worrying.” Alexander's hands moved up to cradle Aaron's face as his husband rolled his eyes. “I'm your husband, Aaron, it's my job to worry about you.”

Aaron shook his head but smiled all the same, and Alexander pulled him in for a hug. Aaron would never know that Alexander had night terrors too, but always chose to deal with them on his own. Whenever he had a particularly horrifying dream, he would sit up in bed and wait for his pulse to slow, and then curl up against Aaron's back and fall asleep again. 

Aaron's hands trailed slowly down his back, stopping precariously close to his ass, making Alexander smile against his chest. In response, Alexander pressed his hips to Aaron's gently, just hinting at the possibility of something they could pass the time doing. Aaron laughed and pulled away from him, making Alexander look up at him, taken by surprise.

“It’s late, Alexander.” Aaron sighed and turned back to the window, his arms folding over his chest again. Alexander stood there dumbfounded for a moment before wrapping his arms around Aaron's waist from behind. 

“Aaron?”

“Hm?”

“Do...do you still blame yourself for what happened?” Alexander placed his chin on Aaron's shoulder to look at him. Aaron was silent for several moments, and Alexander panicked, thinking he'd only opened an old wound. After a moment, he felt Aaron's chest expand as he took a deep breath.

“Just a little bit.” 

Alexander hummed in response and kissed Aaron's shoulder softly. “And why is that, babe?”

“I could've done so much to stop it, Alexander.”

“Aaron-”

“I was so worried about keeping my parents damn legacy alive that I didn't think about the consequences of genetic modification, of playing God. And so many people lost their lives because of it.”

“You were only doing what you thought was right.” Alexander moved to stand next to him, keeping one hand on Aaron's waist.

“And it killed people.” Aaron shook his head silently, his eyes distant. “I wish I’d never said yes to him.”

Alexander hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and speaking. “Aaron, I’m going to be completely honest with you right now. If I could go back and change what happened, I wouldn't.”

Aaron looked at him, obviously surprised. He opened his mouth to respond, probably to ask why, but Alexander cut him off and grabbed his husband’s hands. 

“Because we never would have met again.” 

Aaron closed his mouth and looked down in silence, look at their hands, at their wedding rings. 

“You never would have given me another chance at being with you, and…” Alexander hesitated a little bit, “you never would have given me a chance at loving you.”

Aaron looked at him for a moment. It wasn't the first time one of them had said they loved the other, but it was the first time Alexander had said it directly. All the other times had just been breathy, detached whispers into the heat of Alexander's neck, hardly able to be heard over the slick sound of their skin sliding together. 

He still remembered their first time in great detail, and he didn't think he'd ever forget it. They'd been dating for about three months and the kids were spending the night at Sally's upstate at her lake house. Alexander had taken Aaron out to dinner downtown. They'd come home with liquor in their systems. Not enough for them to be drunk but enough for Aaron's emotional guard to be down. 

Alexander had turned around after hanging up his coat to find Aaron staring at him fondly, and it had immediately gotten Alexander's heart beating faster. Aaron had moved slowly over to him before snaking an arm around his waist and pressing their chests flush together. Alexander's breath almost stopped in his throat when Aaron leaned forward and dragged his tongue slowly over Alexander's throat. 

Slowly, they'd made their way to the bedroom, Alexander thinking all the way: _‘Oh my God, oh my God, this is finally happening’._ Aaron had pushed Alexander down onto their bed and ground against him, both of them groaning in unison when their erections rubbed together through their pants. Alexander's hands had immediately flown to his shirt, unbuttoning each button as best and as fast he could. Aaron had watched him with blown pupils and licked his lips before doing the same with his own shirt. Once both of their shirts were off, Aaron moved his hands to his pants and Alexander had watched him hungrily as he pulled them off and flung them carelessly across the room. Alexander tore his eyes away from the obvious bulge in Aaron's boxers and instead looked up at his then boyfriend. 

Slowly, they'd gotten Alexander's pants off and almost instantly, Aaron had put his mouth on him through his boxers. Alexander had moaned and melted back into the bed, his toes curling and the arousal burning hot in his stomach. Aaron moved his tongue graciously over his length through the thin fabric, making Alexander pant and whine and arch his back. He'd tried to reach down and rest his hand on the back of Aaron's neck, but the man had pulled away instantly, telling Alexander that he could look but he couldn't touch. Alexander pulled his hand away obediently and eased back down into their bed.

As if he knew what the treatment did to Alexander - which he most likely did - he made his movements absolutely teasing. He moved his tongue slowly and slipped his hands underneath his boxers and onto his thighs, his hands cool on Alex's skin. He moaned too, high and dramatic, sending vibrations up his spine, knowing it would only make Alexander want to touch him even more. It was all so hot and wet and good that Alexander ran his hands through his own hair and _pulled_ , gritting his teeth in an effort not to accidentally fuck Aaron's mouth. 

In that moment, as he was stretched out, flushed and hard and needy on their bed with Aaron teasing him like that, Alexander realized it was very much worth the wait. 

Alexander came back to the present as Aaron ran his hands through his hair and leaned in to sit their mouths together. Alexander sighed and kissed him back eagerly, but Aaron pulled away before Alexander could even put his tongue to work.

“I love you, Alexander.” Aaron whispered and then looked a little flushed. Alexander grinned as his heart did backflips in his chest cavity and leaned up to kiss him again.

“I love you.” He muttered against his lips and felt Aaron's mouth curve into a smile until Alexander was actually pressing kisses into the tiles of his teeth. They both laughed into another kiss, Aaron's hands tightening in Alexander's hair and Alex's hands trailing down his chest. His hands brushed gently over the gunshot scar on his abdomen before Alexander tore his mouth away and leaned down to place a gentle kiss to the same area. Aaron placed his hands on his hips and the two of them moved backwards towards their bed, kissing all the way.

Alexander sat down on the edge and pulled Aaron down over him, moving himself backwards until his back hit the headboard. Aaron situated himself between Alexander's legs and leaned down to reattach their mouths. Alexander wrapped his arms around his shoulders and sighed as Aaron's hands slipped underneath his shirt. He rocked his hips forwards into Aaron's experimentally, trying to gauge whether Aaron was up for this sort of thing.

He heard Aaron sigh a little, obviously pleased, and Alexander repeated the motion, harder this time to try and get his point across. Instead of the reaction he was hoping for, Aaron pulled away from him and frowned at him. He was probably trying to look irritated, but the arousal in his eyes was a dead giveaway. 

“It's too late for this sort of thing.” He started to remove his hands from underneath his shirt, but Alexander grabbed his wrists and instead moved his hands up further. “We both need sleep.”

“The only thing I need is you.” Alexander smirked and licked his lips meaningfully. Aaron rolled his eyes, but Alexander saw him swallow thickly. Fine, if Aaron wanted to be stubborn, Alexander was just going to have to convince him. 

Alexander took one hand off of Aaron's wrist and slipped it into his own boxers. Aaron watched him, the surprise momentarily showing on his face before his nonchalant demeanor was back on. Alexander looked up at him and held the eye contact as he began to stroke himself slowly, his legs spread far apart in an inviting gesture. Aaron's hands moved upwards underneath Alexander's shirt, earning a thankful moan from the man below him. 

“ _Oh_ , Aaron.” Alexander gasped and twisted his hand in his boxers, moaning coyly and bucking his hips enticingly into empty air. Aaron's hands twitched on his chest but otherwise, he didn't move. Alexander looked him straight in the eye as his hips bucked again and he moaned, completely wrecked. 

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Aaron cocked his head at him, his voice hoarse with want and his breathing quick. 

“That depends.” Alexander licked his lips and gasped, his eyelids fluttering and a breathy moan tearing itself from his throat. “Is it working?” 

Aaron chuckled and leaned down to kiss him. Alexander licked into his mouth eagerly, groaning and writhing underneath his husband. Aaron pulled away and pressed a kiss to his cheek before moving his mouth to his neck. Alexander felt one hand leave his chest and curl around his wrist. Aaron took Alexander's hands out of his boxers as he moved his tongue over his neck and rocked his hips forward gently.

“I love you so much, you know.” He whispered against his neck and started up a steady pace with his hips. Alexander groaned and wrapped his legs around Aaron's waist, pulling him closer. Aaron planted one hand on the bed next to Alexander's head and weaved the other one into his hair the two of them continued to grind against one another.

“I love you too.” Alexander sighed and arched his back to press their chests flush together. “But I'd love you a lot more if you put your di-"

Aaron moved over and cut him off by kissing him quickly, making Alexander laugh against his mouth.

 

The alarm went off at 7 am sharp the next morning. Aaron groaned and raised his hand lazily to search for the snooze button. He found it and punched it quickly, and sweet silence reigned again. Aaron heard Alexander sigh next to him and felt him readjust his grip on his waist. Aaron opened his eyes and blinked against the sunlight. He looked down at Alexander's hand on his hip and marveled at the way the sun glinted off of the wedding band. 

Aaron yawned and started to peel himself out of Alexander's grasp, but his husband made a noise of protest and dragged him back into his arms. 

“Alexander, come on, I have to get up.” Aaron tried to get up again but settled back into the mattress all the same. “I have to make breakfast.”

Alexander propped himself up on his elbows and looked at him, and Aaron fell in love again. His hair was mussed and there were hickeys decorating his neck and collarbone. “I can make breakfast for the kids.” He muttered groggily and then yawned, scrubbing his hands over his face. 

“Alex, I love you, but you're shit at cooking.” Aaron teased him but didn't protest when Alex scrunched his nose up at him.

“Wow, did I really marry such an ass?” Alexander smiled playfully and swung his legs over the side of their bed. Aaron watched as he moved across the room and pulled his boxers on before doing the same with his shirt. “I'll just thaw some waffles or something.”

Aaron hummed and sat up, smiling as Alexander came over to sit next to him on the bed. He leaned forward and placed a quick kiss to Aaron's mouth, making his husband smile even wider.

“You should stay in bed, love.”

“I’d much rather come with you.”

Alexander shook his head and leaned back in to kiss him sweetly. “You need more sleep.”

“The only thing I need,” Aaron wrapped his arms around Alexander's clothed waist, mimicking his tone from last night, “is you.” 

Alexander rolled his eyes but smiled and brushed their noses together. “That's sweet and I love you, but I'd feel better if you got more sleep. Sundays are for sleeping in anyway.”

Aaron hummed in response but allowed Alexander to stand up, kiss his cheek and head downstairs to make breakfast. Aaron sighed and settled back into bed, the sunlight warm on his back and the wedding ring comforting on his finger.

 

A good two hours later, Aaron woke up to the sound of the television on downstairs and the invitingly warm smell of bacon. The household was awake and buzzing. He grinned to himself and slowly got out of bed, pausing to stretch and yawn. He pulled on a shirt and a pair of sweats before going downstairs. 

Theo and Philip were sitting on the floor of the living room with plates of waffles, watching the morning news. He walked into the kitchen and found Alexander standing at the stove, cooking bacon in a pan. He looked up when Aaron entered and waved, smiling. Aaron smiled in return and came to stand behind him, wrapping his arms around Alexander's waist. 

“So guess who made breakfast without burning the house down?” Alexander turned slightly to look at him, his eyes adorably proud and triumphant.

“Good job, hon.” Aaron smiled and laughed softly, kissing the top of Alexander's head.

“And…” Alexander leaned out of his grip a little to grab the ceramic, steaming coffee mug from off the counter that read _World’s Greatest Dad_ and handed it to Aaron. “I made you coffee.” 

Aaron took it gladly and raised it to his lips. After drinking a good amount of the steaming liquid, Aaron sighed and looked to him.

“I do love you.”

Alexander shrugged but smiled, looking quite proud of himself. “I am a pretty great husband, aren't I.”

“The very best.” Aaron wrapped an arm around Alexander's waist and hugged him as he drank his coffee. 

Alexander was right, Aaron realized, Sundays were for sleeping in. They were also for the morning sun shining in through the curtains while Aaron drank his coffee out of his favorite mug. They were also for the sound of sizzling bacon and the opening jingle of the _Today_ show with Matt Lauer. They were for Alexander loudly stating his opinion about whatever bullshit the politicians were spouting on the news that morning, and probably not setting a really good example for their kids. They were for waffles drenched and syrup even though Aaron didn't really like the idea of sugar for breakfast. They were for Alexander kissing him just to get that taste of coffee that he was so addicted to.

As Aaron kissed Alexander's head again, he silently hoped for more Sundays like this in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> headcannon that Philip mainly goes up to Sallys lake house because their a cute boy named George Eacker who lives on the street and Philip is a little gay
> 
> Yay!!! Another work done! It was suuuuper fun writing this one and working with the dynamic and all the action! I have so many ideas for aid like this and hopefully this won't be the last one
> 
> I've got more one shots on the way including a sequel to wine and dine and a pheacker one shot  
> Does anyone ship Pheacker here? Like I really wanna know cause I think it's a majorly underrated ship and I just love it so much so let me know if you do and we can bond
> 
> Also pirate!au anyone??? Yeah that's my shitttt now Uhh let's see soulmates!au??? Jeez I know I had so much to say but I'm fucking blanking now
> 
> I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH BTW IM SORRY IF I DONT RESPOND TO ALL YOUR COMMENTS BUT I REALLY DO LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU AAAHH YOU MAKE ME SO HAPPY I CRI <33333 :''')

**Author's Note:**

> I will try to get updates out every Friday, but I can't promise anything sooooo :/  
> bUT ARE YOU EXCITED OR W H A T


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